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 4th or worse
* - 4 or more betting notches if 11-1 or more.
2nd race [Md Sp Wt, 1 1/8 mi TURF] – (6) Passive Management was third in his first career start at 7-2 for Chad Brown and Irad Ortiz. (3) Legitimize has the highest debut speed figure in the field and that happened in February at Tampa Downs when he ran second by a neck after having the lead. (2) Prospero made his second start after a winter layoff and finished fourth after racing extremely wide. (5) Badge of War got back on the turf following a layoff and ran the best race of his career while second by a neck.
3rd race [NY, John Morrissey, 6F] – (2) Sheriff Bianco (B) is also entered to run in race 2 on Friday at Saratoga. (5) Rotknee raced only in stakes company against open company in graded stakes and versus NY-breds where he has three wins from three tries. (6) Looms Boldly returns to state-bred competition where he also won three stakes. (3) Light Men started five times and won four moving through the NY-bred allowance conditions and then winning against open company. (1) Ocean’s Reserve will make his first start for a new trainer following an eight-month layoff.
4th race [R, Md Sp Wt, 6F] – (4) Friday Surprise ships up to Saratoga after running second in his debut to run in this restricted-earnings maiden condition. (1) Eighty West was second in his first start in June at Churchill Downs at 4-1. (6) Storm the Streets ran for the first time earlier in the Saratoga meeting, got to the lead, and appeared to need the race. (8) Strengthnguidance was third in his first two starts at Gulfstream Park.
6th race [Md Sp Wt, 5 ½ F TURF] – (7) Moonlight Promises (B) was second in her debut finishing well clear of the rest of the field that were entered for the turf but ran on a muddy and sealed main track. (3) Pop Idol was involved in a pace battle in his first start which was at Woodbine and eventually finished third at 6-1. (6) Flirting With Time set the pace in his debut in a full field of 10. (8) And One More Time was sent off as the 2-1 favorite in the first race of his career at Churchill in June.
Best bets: Passive Management (2nd); Friday Surprise (4th). Best value: Sheriff Bianco (3rd); Moonlight Promises (6th).
No. | Name | Letter/ last race | Today's Race | Comments |
(2) | Sheriff Bianco | B on 6/29 | 3 | Also entered in race 2 on Friday at Saratoga. |
(7) | Moonlight Promises | B on 5/16 | 6 | Ran well for second and now gets to go on the turf. |