Saratoga FULLCARD Hotlist - August 6

Today’s NY Hot List races to watch – FULL CARD PICKS - Saturday, August 6, 2022 at Saratoga 
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 Sp Wt, 1 1/16 mi TURF] – (7) Battle of Normandy was a $500,000 yearling purchase that is out of a stakes-winning mare on the turf and will debut for Shug McGaughey and West Point Thoroughbreds. (4) Mullingar will move from dirt to turf and stretch in distance making you feel like his debut race was merely a workout for this. (5) Red Route One is a first-time starter by Gun Runner for his original connections of Steve Asmussen and Winchell Thoroughbreds. (2) Alexis Zorba will make his second start since coming to America for Irish trainer Joseph O’Brien with blinkers on.

2^nd race [Md 30000, 7F] – (4) She Caught My Eye made one start in December and then moved to the barn of Bill Mott who adds Lasix and moves to the main track from the Tapeta at Turfway Park. (6) Afilada was second or third in his last six starts which were in maiden claimers. This will be the second start since he claimed by Bruce Brown. (7) Toosweettobesour was second last start for a $20,000 tag when she moved from turf to dirt. (5) Mostly Harmless was claimed for $40,000 by Carlos Martin after four turf starts which earned speed figures which are better than any other horse in the field. She has good past dirt races.

3^rd race [NY, OC45k/N2X, 6F] – (2) Khali Magic has been hitting the board at this level for several starts and then got the win last time just three weeks ago at the Spa. She comes right back in the same condition race here. (3) Quality Stones missed by a head at this same level in her first start following a claim. The pace projector says that she will be on the lead.  (7) Mosienko was second behind the top choice and also has early speed. (6) Impazible Donna returns from an April layoff for trainer Bruce Levine who has upped his game with horses that used to need a race for him but now are ready to run. (5) Pretty Clever also comes right back from that Saratoga race where she did very little running but was on equal footing with the others in prior starts.

4^th race [NY, Md Sp Wt, 1 mi TURF] – (1) Eyes On Target and (1A) Dream Works are both win contenders for this Michael Dubb owned entry. (2) Good Governance was last seen in February winning an allowance at Tampa Bay Downs for Chad Brown. (8) Turn of Events won a second-level allowance in his first race of the year for George Weaver and is now the winner of 4 out of 6 of his latest starts. (6) Wicked Fast was an allowance winner in his return to Belmont for trainer Jorge Abreu whose barn has begun to win races again.

5^th race [Lure 120000, 1 1/16 mi TURF] – (2) Safe Conduct gets the mod in this stake for horses without a graded stakes win in 2022. His last two starts were his best with an allowance win at Belmont and then a second in the Monmouth (G3). (7) Sifting Sands won his second start of the year for Chad Brown in a top-level allowance and improved his speed figure accordingly. (5) Dynadrive won his first start for trainer Tom Morley in an allowance which came after four-month layoff. (1) Public Sector exits a pair of third-place finishes in New York Grade 3 races for Chad Brown.

6^th race [Md Sp Wt, 7F] – (2) Disarm finished third in his debut at Churchill Downs back in June. This son of Gun Runner goes out for Steve Asmussen and Winchell Thoroughbreds. (1A) Point Proven was a $675,000 yearling purchase by Gun Runner out of a mare that produced a stakes winner already and will debut now for Todd Pletcher, Repole Stable, and St. Elias. (8) Olazabal will make his first start for Bolt d’Oro who is off to an excellent start as a freshman sire. He is a half-brother to a horse the was third in the Tampa Derby. (3) Perform was second in his debut last month at Belmont for Shug McGaughey at odds of 7-1.

7^th race [Glens Falls (G2), 1½ mi TURF] – (6) War Like Goddess has been off since April when she won the Bewitch (G3) at Keeneland. She won 5 out of her last 6 starts for Bill Mott. (5) Key Biscayne won her last two starts including the RG Dick Memorial (G3) at Delaware Park. (2) Virginia Joy won the Sheepshead Bay (G2) by more than 14 lengths on a yielding turf course at Belmont following another Grade 3 win at Gulfstream. (3) Petricor moved to the Mott barn from France and has run three times in America since April and each time she was the favorite.

8^th race [Alw 115000 N1X, 7F] – (8) Saint Tapit (C) was a regally bet first time starter by Tapit out of Havre de Grace who won by four lengths after getting bet down from 4-1 to 9-5. The second-place finisher came back to win his next start. (9) Osbourne was second in his most recent starts when he rallied to within a length at Churchill. (3) Scilly Cay came back from a year off for Chad Brown and finished second behind a horse that won his next race. (1) Perfect Munnings was third in his 2022 debut for Pletcher following an eight-month layoff. This NY-bred quickly used up his state-bred conditions.

9^th race [Test (G1), 7F] – (1) Matareya won her last four races in a row, all coming this year. She can run on the front-end or rally from behind for Brad Cox. (6) Hot Peppers for Rudy Rodriguez has plenty of early speed as do several others in this field. (2) Sterling Silver had success rallying from behind which fits this field that is loaded with pace to set-up that run from behind. (7) Chi Town Lady is another filly that likes a fast pace in front of her late closing move.

10^th race [Whitney (G1), 1 1/8 mi] – (6) Life Is Good returned to the races from a fourth in the Dubai World Cup (G1) to win the Nerud (G2) at Belmont. His only other loss was to the great sprinter Jackie’ Warrior last year by a neck after a long layoff. In the Whitney he should be able to get to the lead as he always does, get control of the race, and hold off any challenges down the stretch. (4) Olympiad won five races in a row, four of them were graded stakes, since the beginning of 2022 when Bill Mott put him to race around two turns. (2) Hot Rod Charlie is a bit of a wild card in this field. He could end up battling with Olympiad in a stalking position behind the leader making it easier for Life Is Good. (5) Happy Saver could benefit from any pace battles that develop and rally into exotics.

11^th race [Saratoga Derby (G1), 1 3/16 mi TURF] – (4) Nations Pride was my top pick in the Belmont Derby (G1) when he had to race extremely wide heading into the stretch and finished within a length of Classic Causeway after he had gotten loose on the lead. (6) Annapolis won 3 out of his 4 starts including the recent Manila when he rallied and drew off to win by almost three lengths for Pletcher. Irad stays on board. (10) Stone Age tried to rally from far behind and came up short in the Belmont Derby just behind Nations Pride. (9) Classic Causeway took the Belmont Derby on the front-end and will try and do the same at Saratoga. This time however the riders know what to expect from the Mc Peek runner.

12^th race [NY, Md Sp Wt, 1 1/16 mi TURF] – (2) Your Mission was second in his 2022 debut which came opening week at Saratoga for Pletcher. (9) Biondi can get the lead in this field that does not have much other early speed and that should make it easier for him to stay out front. (3) Curlin’s Wisdom will get back on the grass for Linda Rice where earlier in his career he showed speed and ran third. (7) Walk Em Down is first-time starter for Chad Brown and eFive Racing.

Saturday Pick 3 Special --
The Saturday Special $1 Pick 3 covers races 10 – 12 that begins with the Whitney à 6 with 4, 6, 9, 10 with 2, 3, 7, 9 = $16.