Churchill Downs Hotlist - June 26

Today’s Churchill Downs Hot List races to watch
Saturday, June 26, 2021

By Bob Ehalt and Matt Shifman

Hot List Key:     

A : A preferred horse to watch                   B: Secondary horse to watch
*C: Went down 2 or more betting notches in the final 3 minutes and finished 1st through 3rd
*D: Went down 2 or more betting notches and finished 4^th or worse
* - 4 or more betting notches if 11-1 or more.

2nd race – (1) Gunite (A) rallied strongly in the final furlong to move up from sixth to second. The added ground should be a big boost to his cause. (4) Brigadier General is worth a long look in his debut for Stewart. (5) Play Action Pass is another firster with interesting works. (10) Dowagiac Chief could be a fast one for Amoss. Betting strategy: 1 to win, place. Exacta box: 1-4-5-10.

5th race – (6) Letruska won Grade 1 stakes in her last two starts and looks best here. (4) Envoutante won easily over the track last time and should be the one to fear. (3) Vault has a nice late kick and will be a threat in the final furlong. Betting strategy: 6 to win, place. Exacta box: 3-4-6.

8th race – (1) Wicked Halo comes off a nice maiden win at Lone Star and should be tough to catch from the rail. (2) Cartel Queen was a sharp maiden winner and should be the main rival. (8) Ontheonesandtwos should be a factor against this group. (7) Behave Virginia has enough speed to be a factor throughout. Betting strategy: 1 to win, place. Exacta box: 1-2-7-8.

10th race – (3) Somelikeithotbrown woke up last time at Pimlico and can make it two in a row here. (1) Set Piece seeks a third straight win and should be the one to fear. (7) Ride a Comet was hurt by a wide trip but can rebound here. (8) Field Pass will be well-suited by today’s distance. Betting strategy: 3 to win, place. Exacta box: 1-3-7-8. Doubles: 1-3-7-8 with 1-4-5-8.

11th race – (8) Maxfield (A) cruised to victory in a Grade 2 stakes earlier in the meet and looks best here. (1) Chess Chief will benefit from a longer distance and will be a threat in the final furlong. (4) Sprawl should be battling to the end and cannot be ignored. (5) Silver Dust rarely turns in a bad effort and should be a main contender. Betting strategy: 8 to win, place. Exacta box: 1-4-5-8.