Belmont Park - October 16

Today’s NY Hot List races to watch – Saturday, October 16, 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.

1^st race [Md 30000, 6F] – (7) Mach One ran second at Saratoga when last seen in a maiden claiming race. He was claimed from that race and brought back twice in maiden special weights. (1) Motion to Strike gets blinkers on and drops in for a tag for the first time which is a positive move for trainer Pat Reynolds. (4) Risky Woods makes his first start of 2021 and gets Lasix for the first time. His last race at Aqueduct was a good second. (2) Where’s Joey ships up to Belmont Park from Parx and Colts Neck Stable where he had his most recent work for a trainer that had a big price debut winner this year.

2^nd race [Md Sp Wt, 6F TURF] – (5) Fontanafredda (A) rallied from last to second after a poor start at odds of 5-1 in her first career start for the Bond barn. The winner of that race came back to win her next start. (3) Can’t Catch Kacy was third in her debut at Saratoga for John Kimmel behind the Hot List horse. (1) Robyn and Eli will make her first start for Chad Brown. She was a $100,000 purchase in April as a daughter of Laoban. (9) Cricket West missed winning her first start by a neck two races back.

3^rd race [Clm 25000, 1 1/16 mi TURF] – (6) Clear Vision romped on the front-end last time and was claimed for $25,000. (8) Seismic Wave returned from a four-month layoff for a $50,000 tag and was fourth after getting taken up at the break and now makes a big drop down in price. (2) Smile Bryan was claimed for $25,000 after a lackluster performance by Mike Miceli who has excellent stats with his horses new to his barn. (7) Sharp Prospect was also claimed from his last start when he pressed the pace and finished behind the top choice.

6^th race [Sands Point (G2), 1 1/8 mi TURF] – (5) Higher Truth has been racing in much tougher races for Chad Brown in his last three starts where was third in the Belmont Oaks (G1) behind Santa Barbara and then second twice by less than a length in the Saratoga Oaks (G3) and the Jockey Club Oaks. She has tactical speed that will help as she cuts back a bit in distance from those Turf Tiara races. (7) Fluffy Socks is the other Chad Brown runner in the race and she, too, may have found a better spot. Like her stablemate she has hit the board in graded stakes for her age group. Most recently, she went to California and was third in the Del Mar Oaks (G1) and before that she was second in the Lake George (G3) at Saratoga. (3) Harajuku will make her second American start. The first was in JC Oaks when she finished third for trainer Andre Fabre last month. She stayed here and moved to the barn of Graham Motion. Earlier in the year she won a Group 3 race in France. (2) Jordan’s Leo made her first start on the grass at Saratoga this summer and won an allowance for trainer Todd Pletcher. Then, she was second in the Pebbles at Belmont Park last month after pressing the pace. Luis Saez will get the mount as she seems to have found a home on the grass.

Best bets:  Mach One (1^st); Higher Truth (6^th). Best value:  Fontanafreddo (2^nd); Clear Vision (3^rd).

 Saturday Pick 3 Special --
The Saturday Special $1 Pick 3 on races 1-3  à 1, 4, 7 with 5 with 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8 = $15.