Belmont Park Hotlist - October 17

Today’s New York Hot List races to watch – Saturday, October 17, 2020 at Belmont Park
By Matt Shifman and Bob Ehalt

Hot List Key:
 A: A preferred horse to watch                                       B: Secondary horse to watch
*C: Went down 2 or more betting notches and finished 1st through 3rd
*D: Went down 2 or more betting notches and finished 4^th or worst
* - 4 or more betting notches if 11-1 or more.

1^st race – (6) The Great Dansky finds this $32,000 claimer that is restricted to 3-year-olds, drops down from an allowance while cutting back in distance from a mile experiment on the turf. He was claimed two back from a victory at Saratoga for $40,000. (1) Rejected Again won his last two starts at Saratoga for Linda Rice including a N3L condition in a field that included older horses. (2) Ryan’s Cat set the pace and finished second in a similar spot in August at the Spa. (7) Double Shot returns from a July layoff as a new gelding for David Donk and drops down in claiming price a bit while getting the services of Irad Ortiz.

3^rd race – (2) Performer (A) was last seen almost a year ago in the Discovery (G3) at Aqueduct where he pressed a strong early pace, took the lead, and then held off a late challenge from the multi-graded stakes winner Tax. He makes his 4-year-old debut in this top-level allowance race going a one-turn mile at Belmont Park where he won both of his starts. Joel Rosario, who rode in him in all four victories, retains the mount. (1) Empty Tomb recorded a career best speed figure from a victory in a second-level allowance at Belmont Park last month. (3) Musical Heart was claimed right back by David Donk out of an impressive front-end victory at Saratoga. (4) Forever Mo was a convincing winner of an allowance at Monmouth Park in his last start.

5^th race – (7) Vineyard Sound was an easy winner of a $16,000 claimer at Monmouth where the second-place finisher came back to win his next start for $25,000 and the show horse took down a race for a $12,500 tag. He moves up a notch to a $20,000 claimer and finds a field where he should be able to once again control the pace. (3) Preamble did not appreciate the turf in his last start and now drops down to his field while moving back to the main track. (5) Durkin’s Call finished third and was claimed out of that $12,500 race that was mentioned above and comes right back on a week’s rest. (6) Shamrocked had the lead at the stretch call in his most recent start for Tom Morley and finished third for a $25,000 tag. He is the winner of four out of seven career starts at Belmont Park.

9^th race – (8) Lead Guitar returned to the barn of George Weaver over the summer with a speedy front running second-level allowance victory in a turf sprint at Belmont that was run in a fast time and earned her a career best speed figure. Luis Saez opts to stay on board with a chance to get her first stakes win using that early speed. (1) Bohemian Bourbon gets some class relief in this field dropping out of two graded stakes races that include a third in the Royal North (G2) at Woodbine by less than a length. Last time she caught a soft turf course that was not to her liking. (3) I’llhandalthecash ran her career best race three back when she won the License Fee at Belmont Park which is her favorite turf course. Last time, she got stuck on the rail on soft grass at Kentucky Downs in a Grade 3 and her form looks a bit muddied up. (9) Rose Flower will return from a June layoff for the team of Christophe Clement and Joel Rosario. This 4-year-old filly came to the Clement barn with two wins in France and showed an affinity for softer grass courses at Belmont and Aqueduct. Her late running style fits in this six-furlong race.

Best bets: Performer (3^rd); Vineyard Sound (5^th). Best value:  The Great Dansky (1^st); Lead Guitar (9^th).

@NYHotList Saturday Pick 3 Special --
The Saturday Special $1 Pick 3 is on races 3-5:  1, 2 with ALL with 7 = $24.