Saratoga Hotlist - August 18

Today’s NY Hot List races to watch Wednesday, August 18, 2021 at Saratoga – Day 25
                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 [Clm 32000, 7F] – (1) Easy Shot (A) got off to a slow start and then dragged his rider into contention while fighting restraint. That scenario rarely has a positive outcome and he faded to fourth after being in second in the stretch and was claimed for $20,000 out of the race that got a strong speed figure. (2) Cantrell Hill was also claimed out of his last start at Saratoga after rallying for second. New Trainer Danny Gargan paid $25,000 for him. (3) Flat Out Beautiful was claimed for $40,000 by red-hot trainer Rob Atras, who is winning at 33% at the Spa with nine wins. (6) Free Enterprise was the winner of a $50,000 beaten claimer for Chad Brown on a muddy track going the seven-furlongs.

7^th race [Alw 50000s, 6½ F] – (3) Cadeau de Paix has hit the board in 3 out of 4 starter allowances lately with a second in her most recent race after switching barns to Pat Reynolds. (5) Chloe Rose has a first and a second in two recent claimers from which she was taken for $16,000 and then $32,000. (8) Targeted Return broke her maiden last start for a $50,000 tag for Chad Brown in November at Churchill Downs. She gets Lasix for the first time. (1) Bayshore Foxes was a debut winner in a maiden special weight in April at Oaklawn Park. She will now cut back in distance to a sprint which is where she won her race.

9^th race [Bolton Landing, 5 ½ F TURF] – (3) Derrynane (A) used an impressive turn of foot to win by two-lengths in her first start for Christophe Clement at Saratoga at even money. (5) Poppy Flower got the top speed figure in the field when she beat the boys at Belmont Park to break her maiden for Wesley Ward. (4) Flip My Id overcame racing six-wide heading into the stretch at Belmont to break her maiden at first asking for the meet’s leading trainer Mike Maker. (8) Fulminate was a runaway winner in her debut at Gulfstream Park for trainer Mark Casse. Since then she shipped up to the Spa and has one workout there.

10^th race [NY, Md 40000, 6F] – (1) Clear Humor was claimed out of a second-place finish at Saratoga from George Weaver who seemed to have this one ready to win in his second start at the Spa. Luis Saez will stay on board for new trainer Brittany Russell. (6) Damilano has a second and a third at this level for the Bond barn. He has caught a wet tracks in 5 out of 7 starts. (3) Multiple Expansion will drop into a maiden claimer for the first time and moves from turf to dirt after one start back in April for Chad Brown. (7) Stonecoldwarrior made his first start at Monmouth Park against open company and now moves to the New York barn of Pat Reynolds.

Best bets:  Cadeau de Paix (7^th); Clear Humor (10^th). Best value:  Easy Shot (2^nd); Derrynane (9^th).