Saratoga Hotlist - August 13

Today’s New York Hot List races to watch – Thursday, August 13, 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.

3^rd race – (5) Xanthique (C) was the winner of a first-level allowance going a mile on the turf at Belmont Park. Trainer Tom Morley cuts her back to a turf sprint and steps up to the next level. She does have good races as a dirt sprinter. (7) Turf War had some traffic trouble in her 2020 debut and when a hole opened up, she rallied for third. This was her first start after moving from the barn of Chad Brown to that of Christophe Clement. She stays at the same second-level allowance condition with improvement expected and Rosario getting on board. (1) Olendon makes her initial start of the year for Brown after two second-place finishes at this level. (4) Lost Ticket seems to be better as a turf sprinter since Bill Mott cut her back in distance.

4^th race – (6) Grit and Glory gets the nod in this starter allowance after a win in a N3L condition in his first race in the barn of Linda Rice. He has past races at today’s level allowance that are good including one at Saratoga last summer. (2) Blood Moon set the pace in a similar spot opening week at the Spa and finished third behind a horse that came back and won. (4) First Rate was just a neck behind the second choice in his last start. (3) Bobbyfromthepalm won his last two starts including a N2L claimer after a six-month layoff. He was taken out of that win at Belmont by Bruce Brown.

5^th race – (3) Robin Sparkles flashed speed in her debut on a sloppy main track and set the pace for the first two calls after getting bet in a race where the top two both came back to win their next start. Now trainer Bruce Brown drops her into a maiden claimer, switches to the grass, and stays in NY-bred company. (12) Dream Chasing got caught late in the race after setting the pace for most of a six furlong sprint for Clement. (7) Frenchie Frou Frou gets a pass for the last start going long on the grass and now goes back to turf sprinting where she had a promising first try when third after a less than ideal trip. (8) Big Red Girl caught a sloppy track in a race meant for the grass and now hopes to stay on the turf.

8^th race – (5) Battalion (B) got pinched back at the start of his last race which came in a similar starter allowance on the turf. He got far behind in that race and still got second. (3) Mandate was the winner of a N2L claimer last time for Todd Pletcher with a big jump up in speed figures. Pletcher is winning in all kinds of races at Saratoga. (2) Turn of Events broke his maiden for $40,000 at Saratoga last start for trainer Mike Maker whose barn is also red hot. (6) Bray won a N2L claimer last out at Belmont on the grass and was taken out of the race by Rudy Rodriguez. In his four-race career he has never run badly.

Best bets:  Grit and Glory (4^th); Robin Sparkles (5^th). Best value:  Xanthique (3^rd); Battalion (8^th).