Saratoga Hotlist - August 1

Today’s NY Hot List races to watch – Sunday, August 1, 2021 at Saratoga – Day 14
                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.

3^rd race [Clm 25000, 6 ½ F] – (2) Full Court Press (B) broke last as a horse that typically has speed and still rallied for third and now drops in claiming price but moves to an open condition. (3) Megatap ships to Saratoga after racing at Lone Star where he won a maiden special weight on the turf for Steve Asmussen as he inches towards the record for trainer wins. (1) Lookin for Loki was claimed for $50,000 by Danny Gargan out of a Churchill Downs race where he ran second after having the lead in the stretch. Gargan’s first time new runner numbers stand at 39% currently. (7) Eucharist was a debut winner last year at Keeneland in the fall. He takes a big drop out of an allowance in his second start since moving to the barn of Mike Maker. Maker is the current leading trainer at the Spa.

8^th race [Clm 40000 N2L, 1 1/16 mi TURF] – (9) Princess Pinky (A) was described in the official chart as having been “clobbered” at the break leaving her far behind in her first turf start but still rallied to miss the win by less than a length. (3) Adriatic Rose (D) moved from a maiden claiming win to try a state-bred stake and was bet down from 40-1 to 30-1 which at least is an unusual betting pattern. She was outclassed there and now moves back to the claiming ranks. (1) Kiss and Run fought the attempts to hold her back as she ran off to set the pace last time and, not surprisingly, she faded in the late going. Rider change to Gaffalione. (2) Mirabell Mei had two good runs this year in starter allowances and makes the big drop to a N2L condition.

9^th race [Amsterdam (G2), 6 ½ F] – (3) Jackie’s Warrior broke last in the Woody Stephens (G1), rushed up to the lead, and got nipped at the wire. With a good break he should reverse the outcome from that race. (2) Drain the Clock stalked Jackie’s Warrior in the Woody Stephens, got floated seven-wide and prevailed to get the win on that day. (1) River Dog is unbeaten in his first two starts against NY-breds including the Mike Lee on a muddy track at Belmont Park back in May. (6) Crowded Trade will make his return after the Preakness (G1) for Chad Brown. He did break his maiden sprinting in January at Aqueduct.

10^th race [NY, Md 25000, 6F] – (10) Not a Trace (B) raced eight-wide into the stretch and finished third. Blinkers come off as she drops down to the lowest level maiden claimer for state-breds at Saratoga. (4) Know It All Red has a pair of seconds at this level in her last two starts. (1) Esotica set the pace and finished third for Mike Maker at the end of May at Belmont. (5) Elusive Site ran fourth in a maiden special weight in her lone start last year for Todd Pletcher at short odds at the Spa.

Best bets:  Full Court Press (3^rd); Jackie’s Warrior (9^th). Best value:  Princess Pinky (8^th); Not a Trace (10^th).