Saratoga Hotlist - August 28

Today’s New York Hot List races to watch – Friday, August 28, 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.

1^st race – (5) Dream Bigger (D) returns to what he does best which is sprinting on the main track against NY-breds after a negative experience on the turf. In that grass start he was bet down from 61-1 to 4-1. (2) Captain Bombastic returns to NY-bred competition after running fourth in the Jerkens (G1). In his prior start he won the Mike Lee at Belmont Park. (1) Chowda cuts back from two one-turn mile victories at Aqueduct including the Gander for state-breds. (4) Slash Gordon was a rare debut winner for Michelle Nevin in a pre- Covid race at Aqueduct and interestingly he returns as a new gelding.

2^nd race – (7) Come Storming (C) was heavily bet from 8-1 to 7-2 as she stepped up from a maiden claiming victory on the grass to a starter allowance and ran third beaten by only a half length after having the lead in the stretch. (2) Make Or Break (B) had a troubled trip where she was blocked through most of the stretch run in a N2L claimer. (8) Kemba broke her maiden for a $75,000 tag at Saratoga in her second start on the grass and this move to the starter allowance looks like the right spot for Ray Handal. (4) Princess Fawzia has consecutive narrow losses in this company for Linda Rice after setting the pace in both of those races.

6^th race – (7) Barista Vixen (B) debuted back in October with a second place finish for Bill Mott and now gets Lasix for the first time. (3) Black Magic Woman ran third in her debut at Saratoga for Todd Pletcher after setting the pace going seven furlong. She’s back in another maiden special weight going 6.5 furlongs. (6) Back Channel has a third and a second to her credit earlier in the summer at Belmont for Linda Rice with speed figures that fit well here. (2) Dovima made her first two starts on the grass for Chad Brown including a narrow loss after setting the pace and now switches to the dirt and cuts back to a sprint. Curious moves for Brown.

10^th race – (8) Cainudothetwist (B) was second in her debut after a strong closing move in a NY-bred maiden claimer turf race where she raced greenly while shying away from the whip down the lane. (7) Spin Your Partner ran on the front end on the dirt at Delaware Park on a wet fast track and now returns to the turf and to face state-breds while shipping up from Fair Hills in Maryland. (2) Memories Eternal exits two races against open company, one at Delaware and the other at Laurel. (1) Little Red Button had her best finish and speed figure just nine days ago at Saratoga.

Best bets: Dream Bigger (1^st); Cainudothetwist (10^th). Best value: Come Storming (2^nd); Barista Vixen (6^th).