Saratoga Hotlist - August 14

Today’s New York Hot List races to watch – Friday, August 14, 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.

7^th race – (8) Bourbon Currency (B) had a troubled trip last time when he was checked at the sixteenth poll as he tried to get running down the stretch. He comes back in a similar spot with Jose Ortiz staying on board. (3) Fig Jelly gets class relief as he drops out of a series of allowance races to this N3L claimer with speed figures that top this field. (1) No Bang No Boom makes his 2020 debut for Wesley Ward while dropping into the N3L condition for the first time. Last year he won an allowance on the turf on the front end. (4) Tenure was claimed out of a neck loss in a N3L race last time which was his 2020 debut.

8^th race – (2) Thorny Tale (D) will be making his third start of the year after winning a first-level allowance and then stepping up to the higher level allowance while competing against NY-breds in both. He was bet down to be the favorite in that recent start. (4) Tale of the Union won the first-level allowance last time out for Bob Baffert who has the horse in New York to take advantage of the state-bred competition. (7) Kazmania is a consistent performer at this level and when he gets the right set-up for his closing move, he is dangerous. (8) Runaway Lute has been racing against open allowance company recently and moves back to NY-bred competition after making his 2020 debut for new trainer Jeremiah Englehart.

9^th race – (11) Bundibunan (B) had to steady late in the race in a second level allowance and ended up getting moved up to second through a DQ. (2) Argonne shows up for a tag for the first time after racing in tough allowances and stakes on the turf for the red-hot Bond barn. (1) Voting Control/(1A) Value Engineering are a formidable entry for Chad Brown where both are dangerous in this spot. (8) Current gets blinkers on for Todd Pletcher and drops out of stakes races including the United Nations (G1).

10^th race – (8) Lucky Latkes (B) ran second and third at this NY-bred maiden claiming $40,000 level on the turf. Last race, she got bumped at the start and had to steady during the final stages of the race. (1) Lady Teuflesberg ran against open company in Florida in her first three starts and now changes to the barn of Michael Miceli to face NY-breds. (10) Unicorn Sally also ran well against open company in Florida and came to New York to run in two maiden special weights. Last time she had a troubled trip and now drops into a claimer. (9) Running On Entry makes the drop into the maiden claiming ranks for the first time for trainer Jimmy Toner and that’s been a winning move.

Best bets:  Thorny Tale (8^th); Lucky Latkes (10^th). Best value:  Bourbon Currency (7th); Bundibunan (9^th).