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Keeneland Select

Saratoga Hotlist - July 15

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 worst
* - 4 or more betting notches if 11-1 or more.

2nd race [Alw 50000s, 6F] – (2) Sugar Gray Leonard made his second start of the year while moving to the barn of Rick Dutrow and improved his speed figure. He broke last and rallied to fourth beaten by just a length. He will get a fast pace to set up his late run. (6) Iceatude was claimed for $50,000 last time at Ellis Park when he rallied to finish second. (5) Talkin Pharoah won an open company maiden claimer by four lengths last time for Linda Rice who took him two races back for $50,000. (1) Win for Gold is projected to be on the lead as great gate rider Kendrick Carmouche gets on board and will try to nurse his speed.

4th race [Diana, 1 1/8 mi TURF] – (2) In Italian will try and win his third Grade 1 stake in a row this year for Chad Brown. The son of Dubawi won this race last year and has won 4 out of his last 5 races. The only loss was a second in the Breeders’ Cup when he was beaten by a length by an Aidan O’Brien runner. With heavy rain on Thursday evening and more rain expected In Italian will probably have to deal with wet turf for the first time. (1) Fev Rover made her 2023 debut at Woodbine for Mark Casse and was an impressive winner of the Nassau (G2) when he rallied from last to win by more than four lengths. (3) Marketsegmentation is the second of four horses from the Brown barn and is the most lightly raced filly in the field. She won her last three starts of the year in stakes races beginning at Gulfstream Park and then moved to Belmont Park where she won the Beaugay (G3) and her first Grade 1 in the New York. (4) Fluffy Socks is the third from Brown and she won her only start of the year at Churchill Downs on Derby weekend in the Distaff Turf Mile (G2).

5th race [NY, Alw 95000 N1X, 6F] – (8) Mariachi (C) was bet down from 4-1 to 2-1 and finished third in a blanket finish in his first start of the year while looking like a horse that needed a race. He could get loose on the lead in this spot. (2) Always Charming has a pair of wins and a second in his last three starts. (5) Agility finished in the top three in 5 out of his last 6 starts. (7) G Munning will make his first start of the year as he moves to the barn of Chad Brown and the blinkers will come off.

7th race [OC 62k/N2X, 5 ½ F TURF] – (4) Breeze Easy (A) was taken up at the start and was in last place. She was hard held and full of run as she swung to the outside and rallied for second just a length behind. (1) Playlist won his last two for Wesley Ward moving from a maiden on the synthetic at Turfway Park to an allowance on the grass at Ellis Park. (5) Lady Milagro is expected to set the pace and is in good form. (7) Tracy Ann’s Legacy had two wins at Tampa Bay Downs this year and drops in for the claiming option with 11 career victories.

Best bets:  Sugar Gray Leonard (2nd); In Italian (4th). Best value:  Mariachi (5th); Breeze easy (7th).

Saturday Pick 3 Special --
The Saturday Special $1 Pick 3 covers races 2 - 4 and includes the Diana à 2, 5, 6 with 5, 6, 7, 8, 11 with 2 = $15.

No.NameLetter
last race
Today's RaceComments
(8)MariachiC on 6/175Finished third and probably needed the race.
(16)Timely ConquestA on 6/166Entered for Main Track Only.
(4)Breeze EasyA on 6/167Taken up at start, last early, hard held, and got second.