Belmont Park Hotlist - September 25

Today’s NY Hot List races to watch – Saturday, September 25, 2021 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.

6^th race [NY, Md Sp Wt, 6F] – (2) Ocean’s Reserve (B) was very rank in his debut and had to check halfway through the race and now takes the blinkers off. (9) Asymmetric will make his first career start for Chad Brown as an Upstart 2-year-old out of a mare that has produced two stakes winners, one that took a graded stakes on the dirt and turf. (6) Silver Samurai takes the blinkers off after a bad run in his most recent start at Saratoga. His prior two races produced second-place finishes. (8) Overstep is the first foal to race from a mare that sold for $1 million as a broodmare prospect. This son of Into Mischief sold for $360,000 as a weanling and goes for Todd Pletcher.

9^th race [NY, Md Sp Wt, 6F] – (7) Brady’s Legacy (B) was sent off at 5-1 in his debut for Jeremiah Englehart, had to steady at the start, and pulled greenly in response to the kickback which was particularly heavy on that day. Odds will probably be better than last time and if not, that’s probably a very good sign. (5) Happy Happy B was second in his first career start at Saratoga for Robertino Diodoro and came right back in two weeks to finish third in a NY-bred stake. (6) Who Hoo Thats Me has the same two-race pattern as the #5 horse with a debut second and then a start in that same state-bred stake. He found a lot of trouble in the stake for Jorge Abreu. (9) Bointheback has improved in all three starts for Tony Dutrow. Last time out he finished second at Saratoga behind a good horse.

10^th race [Athenia (G3), 1 1/8 mi TURF] – (4) Pocket Square was an easy winner of an allowance at the Spa and lands at the right level to get her first American stakes victory for Chad Brown. She was a Group 3 winner in France on the heavy going as a 2-year-old with a chance that the turf will be wet on Saturday. (2) Miss Teheran exits a second in the Ms. Liberty at Monmouth Park last time as she also seeks her first stakes win in the USA for Chad Brown. (3) Made In Italy has two allowance starts in America since joining the barn of Graham Motion.  Both of those starts did not go smoothly for this filly who is Group 2 placed in Italy. (1) Lake Lucerne won an allowance at Saratoga on Sept. 1 for Brendan Walsh.

11^th race [NY, Md Sp Wt, 6F TURF] – (4) She’s the One (A) was sent off at 9-2 in her first start for Christophe Clement when she rallied four-wide, had the lead, and got nailed at the wire. Now, she cuts back to a sprint and gets Irad Ortiz in the saddle. (6) Escapewithfriends (A) was slow getting in stride and still got second after racing wide when she moved back to sprinting. (7) Road to Remember was third in her first start on the turf after having the lead in the stretch. (11) U Should B Dancing moves to the barn of Rudy Rodriguez after a pair of seconds and a third this year. She will have to use her speed to get in position from the far outside post.

Best bets:  Pocket Square (10^th); She’s the One (11^th). Best value:  Ocean’s Reserve (6^th); Brady’s Legacy (9^th).

Saturday Pick 3 Special --
The Saturday Special $1 Pick 3 on races 9-11 includes the Athenia (G3)  à 5, 6, 7, 9 with 2, 3, 4 with 4, 6 = $24.