Saratoga Hotlist - August 26

Today’s NY Hot List races to watch Thursday, August 26, 2021 at Saratoga – Day 31
                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.

4^th race [Clm 12500, 6F] – (2) Frills (C) was a front-end winner back in June at Belmont Park when bet down to be the favorite and was claimed by Linda Rice for $12,500. From that race the second and third-place runners came back to win their next starts. (3) Miss Liana was claimed from 3 out of her last 4 starts after winning two of those starts. Last time she stumbled badly and lost her rider in a $20,000 claimer. (7) Quality Stones moves from Finger Lakes allowances with three wins and a pair of seconds in her last five races. Trainer Chris Englehart does well shipping those kind to Saratoga. (1) Cathy Naz drops down in class in her second start after a long layoff which is a good angle for the Bond barn.

8^th race [OC80k/N2X, 7F] – (3) Easy to Bless is the winner of 5 of her last 6 starts including four races where she was claimed. The only loss was by a mere neck margin. Last time out, it was a stalking victory in a first-level allowance. (4) Whispering Pines tried a NY-bred stakes race at Saratoga after winning a first-level allowance against open company in her prior start. (2) Thoughtfully will make her 2021 debut for Steve Asmussen after winning the Adirondack (G2) at the Spa last year as a juvenile. (5) Movie Moxy changes barns to that of George Weaver after four third-place finishes in a row in Kentucky at today’s level. Weaver has gaudy (38%) winners with horses new to his barn.

9^th race [Riskaverse, 1 mi TURF] – (10) Love and Money (B) won her debut impressively at Monmouth Park and then moved to the barn Cherie DeVaux who ran her in an allowance at Saratoga going a mile on the grass where she set the pace and fought gamely down the stretch. (2) Keeper of Time will make her first in America for Brendan Walsh after winning a Group 3 at Leopardstown in Ireland. (4) Third Draft won an allowance for Shug McGaughey at the Spa with a well-timed closing move. (11) Minaun also won a Group 3 in Ireland and then came to the USA and won her first start for Chad Brown. She then moved up to win the Wild Applause at Belmont before trying the Lake George (G3).

10^th race [Clm 32000, 5 ½ F TURF] – (8) Three Outlaws (B) got a wide trip and a very soft turf course at Saratoga last time out in a top-level allowance for NY-breds. (3) Fast Getaway was claimed out a narrow loss for $45,000 by Mike Maker and leading rider Luis Saez gets on board. (9) Mastery Messenger was claimed back by trainer Vladamir Cerin after a pair of seconds in his two starts this year. Cerin brought this guy east from California and got him back for a cheaper claiming price.  (2) War Stroll was third in his last three starts.

Best bets:  Frills (4^th); Love and Money (9^th). Best value:  Easy to Bless (8^th); Three Outlaws (10^th).