Saratoga Hotlist - August 4

Today’s NY Hot List races to watch – Thursday, August 4, 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.

7^th race [OC62k/N2X, 5½ F TURF] – (7) Alwayz Late (B) was stuck on the inside and then had no chance to rally from behind into a slow pace. This will be her third start of the year for Bill Mott. (6) Mail Order made a huge improvement in her second start of the year when she easily won the first level allowance at Belmont last month. (1) Bye Bye has a third and a second at this level in her only two starts of the year. (8) Hit the Woah has been off since February when she won an allowance at Gulfstream Park for Christophe Clement with a closing move on a turf course that was favoring speed.

8^th race [Alydar, 1 1/8 mi] – (6) Masqueparade flashed talent last year with his win in the Ohio Derby and recently won a high level allowance at Churchill Downs for Al Stall Jr. (G3) (5) Art Collector won this race last year and has a class advantage over the rest of the field with his win in the Woodward (G1). He has been off since racing in the Saudi Cup (G1). He needed a race in 2021 before winning the Alydar. (4) King Fury won two stakes last year including the Lexington (G3) and has one start this year on the Tapeta at Turfway Park. (1) Mystic Night won his last two allowances for Chad Brown in February and March.

9^th race [OC80k/N3X, 1 mi TURF] – (1) Emaraaty (A) in his 2022 debut was blocked in the stretch, had to alter paths, and then rallied strongly to finish second less than a length behind. (2) Atone was third and then second in a pair of graded stakes for Mike Maker. (9) Big Everest won both of his starts this year stepping up from first to second-level allowances for the Clement barn. He won his only start at Saratoga last summer. (5) Floriform is in excellent form that has carried through his last seven starts for Mott.

10^th race [Alw 50000s, 5½ F TURF] – (1) Stuck on Kitten (D) was heavily bet in her 2022 debut and finished fourth and is coupled in here with a contender from the Ray Handal barn in (1A) Mispelled Mooon. (4) Freedomofthepress (B) won a hot pace duel last time and then got passed when the race collapsed. (2) Mandy Green raced very wide in her second start of the year yet still made a big improvement to finish second. (7) Miss Domina made her first start of the year in a stakes race at Monmouth Park for George Weaver. Last year she ran second and third at the Spa.

Best bets:  Masqueparade (8^th); Stuck on Kitten (10^th). Best value:  Alwayz Late (7^th); Emaraaty (9^th).