Saratoga Hotlist - August 31

Today’s NY Hot List races to watch – Wednesday, August 31, 2022 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 [Md Sp Wt, 5 ½ F TURF] – (5) Rock Chalk (A) raced greenly in his Saratoga debut for George Weaver and had to rally four-wide to get second. (7) Three Zero moved to the turf for the first time and pressed the pace in a sprint. He could get the lead against this group. (3) Closethegame Sugar ships to the Spa to make his first start for Adam Rice. He is by Girvin and is out of a dam that has two winners from two starters. (2) Webslinger was fourth in his debut at Ellis Park on the dirt for Mark Casse. He showed some fast works before moving to Saratoga.

4^th race [OC62k/N2X, 1 mi TURF] – (5) Scotish Star will make her first start for Todd Pletcher after racing in stakes in California for Richard Mandella last year. (3) Zainalarab moved to the grass in her last two starts for Chad Brown after having begun her career successfully on the dirt. She had the lead in her recent start at this level and finished third. (6) Secret Time will stretch back out to a mile on the grass which may be her best distance where she competed in stakes races. (4) Nevisian Sunrise has two excellent efforts going a mile for Chad Brown amongst eight career starts where her only bad effort was in a sprint.

6^th race [NY, Md 40000, 1 mi TURF] – (4) Eau Claire gets a pass for her try on the dirt last time out. She will drop down to the claiming ranks for the first time with early speed to use to her advantage. (5) Sals Dream Girl ran second two races back between two fillies that came back to win their next starts in an allowance and a maiden special weight. She will also make her first try against claimers. (10) Cerretta had the lead and was then third in her try at this level two starts ago on a yielding surface at Belmont Park. (7) Wine Goddess raced last time in June at Belmont in a maiden special weight that went in a very fast time.

9^th race [With Anticipation (G3), 1 1/16 mi TURF] – (8) Lachaise (C) was a debut winner as the favorite at the beginning of the month when he was bet down from 9-2 to 5-2. (1) Battle of Normandy won his first start at odds of 3-1 for Shug McGaughey who we know does not win very often with firsters. (2) Andthewinnersis won his first start for Wayne Catalano at Keeneland in April and then was third on the dirt in the Bashford Manor at Churchill Downs in July. He been training at Saratoga since then with a couple of turf works showing. (6) Bramble Blaze won at first asking at Monmouth Park going a mile on the grass for a trainer that ships successfully to the New York tracks.

Best bets:  Rock Chalk (3^rd); Scotish Star (4^th). Best value: Eau Claire (6^th); Lachaise (9^th).