Saratoga Hot List - July 18

Today’s New York Hot List races to watch – Saturday, July 18, 2020 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.

3^rd race – (1) Domestic Spending (A) is unbeaten in two career starts on the turf for trainer Chad Brown where he was the favorite in both. He was last seen taking a Belmont Park allowance in June with a strong closing move going a mile. Now he will step up to the Hall of Fame (G2). (5) Gufo is riding a four-race winning streak including his 2020 debut at Delaware Park in the Kent (G3) for trainer Christophe Clement going today’s distance of nine-furlongs. (7) Decorated Invader won the Grade 3 Pennine Ridge going a mile last start which was down state also for Clement. (2) Moon Over Miami woke up last start at Churchill Downs to win an allowance for Bill Mott in her third run on the grass.

4^th race – (5) Archumybaby (C) was a well-placed winner of her last start when she dropped into a $25,000 claimer in her first start for trainer Orlando Noda. She comes back for a slightly higher claiming price in here. (6) Jump for Joy returned after a four-month layoff to run second behind the top choice. (4) No Deal was second in a similar spot back in February at Aqueduct and gets a very favorable rider change to Jose Lezcano. (2) Lady by Choice was claimed in each of her last three starts and will go out for Mike Maker who has been known to improve his new horses. Leading rider Irad Ortiz takes the mount.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   5^thrace – (5) Matty’s Marauder (C) made his 2020 debut in June after a first-start last year. Trainer David Donk moved him to the turf and he ran third in a maiden special weight. He now stretches out to a mile on the grass for this excellent turf trainer. (6) Oak Hill comes north after running second in his debut at Churchill for trainer Al Stall Jr. He will move from a turf sprint. (4) Conglomerate will make his career debut for the winning team of Klaravich Stables and Chad Brown and can’t be overlooked. (3) Summer Tune gets blinkers on after two very solid starts for trainer John Stephens who ships him up after a third at Monmouth Park just a couple of weeks ago.

11^th race – (7) Papa Luke (B) makes his third career start after a big improvement when switching to the barn of Anthony Dutrow. He was second at Belmont and was well ahead of the rest of that field and returns in a similar NY-bred maiden. (4) Midnight Whiskey showed speed in his first two starts including last time when he had the lead and ended up fourth when the top four were within a neck of each other. That race was on a muddy sealed track at Belmont. (10) Top of the Mint made his 2020 debut in that same race as #4 and should move forward from a fifth-place finish. (9) Farragut has been a consistent type throughout his career and another trifecta finish is likely.

Best bets: Domestic Spending (3^rd); Papa Luke (11^th).  Best value:  Archumybaby (4^th); Matty’s Marauder (5^th).

@NYHotList Saturday Pick 3 Special --
The Saturday Special Pick 3 is on races 3-5 including the Hall of Fame (G2):  1, 2, 5, 7 with 5, 6 with 3, 4, 5, 6 = $32