Saratoga Hot List - July 19

Today’s New York Hot List races to watch – Sunday, July 19, 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 worse
* - 4 or more betting notches if 11-1 or more.

2^nd race – (5) Deep Sea (B) faced heavy traffic on the inside and was blocked at the sixteenth pole. When he finally got clear he rallied to finish second and returns in a similar spot for Rudy Rodriguez and Jose Ortiz. (4) Vineyard Sound gets a pass for his last start on the turf in a starter allowance. Before that he was more competitive for a $25,000 tag and was a winner in a N3L $16,000 claiming event. Today’s race is a $12,500 open claimer. (7) Hardcore Folklore was claimed two races back by Charlie Baker and showed improvement for the new trainer. Now, he makes his third start in about six weeks. (1) Our Honor was a winner last time in a $14,000 N3L condition which means he has to try open claiming races now. He was claimed back in October for $16,000 by a low-profile trainer who is also the owner.

3^rd race – (1) Dovina missed the win by a nose in her debut for Chad Brown at the unusually high odds of 9-1 and comes right back in a similar mile turf maiden special weight. (4) In Front set the pace in a ten-furlong turf maiden and finished third for Shug McGaughey who already has a winner at Saratoga this year. She faced a lot of repeat winners in previous races and now cuts back to a mile. (3) Halo City made her turf debut at Belmont and finished a head behind the top choice with a late rally after getting pinched back at the start. (2) Witch Moon will make her first career start for Graham Motion.

4^th race – (3) Candy Cornell will make his first appearance in a claimer in this N3L condition for $50,000 after several starts in starter allowances and regular allowances where he was competitive. The class relief may send him to the winner’s circle. (5) Releasethethunder was third in his 2020 debut in a second-level allowance at Delaware Park for Christophe Clement. (6) Twelfth Labour was claimed for $50,000 last time at Churchill Downs by Robertino Diodoro who wins with 31% of his new runners. (2) Ryan’s Cat was claimed for $50,000 back in February at Aqueduct by Chris Englehart and makes his first start for the new trainer.

10^th race – (4) Scarf It Down (C) was bet down to favoritism last time when he rallied to take the lead in the stretch but was overtaken near the wire in a $12,500 claimer. He steps up to $16,000 for a good claiming trainer in Orlando Noda. (7) Malibu Pro was claimed in April for $32,000 at Oaklawn Park by Diodoro who now drops him down looking for a win at Saratoga. (8) Mills will go for a second win in a row after a Belmont victory for $12,500 for Eddie Barker. (9) Street Trust ran widest of all in that same race as the 4 and the 7 and rallied to get third. 

Best bets:  Dovina (3^rd); Candy Cornell (4^th). Best value:  Deep Sea (2^nd); Scarf It Down (10^th).