Saratoga Hotlist - August 5

Today’s New York Hot List races to watch – Wednesday, August 5, 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.

2^nd race – (6) Naughty Prince was a debut winner at Keeneland going seven furlongs in a $20,000 maiden claimer for Wesley Ward. He will stretch out to nine-furlongs on the main track in this $16,000 N2L condition with Irad Ortiz in the saddle. (5) The Joke’s On You will return after a runaway win in a $25,000 maiden claimer for NY-breds at Aqueduct for Linda Rice back in February. (8) Mine the Coin was second, just a length behind in a N2L sprint at Belmont Park. He has run longer distances in the past. (2) Icy Dude won a two-turn maiden special weight at Finger Lakes by three lengths also for Rice as a heavy favorite and now comes back after two weeks.

3^rd race – (6) Three Outlaws won his first start of the year in a Saratoga turf sprint in a starter allowance for Rob Atras. He comes back after 11 days in a first-level allowance for NY-breds also on the turf. (7) Freewheeler won as a first-timer in a NY-bred maiden special weight and then ran second in the Futurity (G3) at Belmont Park for Todd Pletcher. After a poor performance in a November stake, he makes his 2020 debut for Pletcher and he excels with these long layoffs. (4) Luna’s in Charge ran second at Saratoga in a similar spot to today’s race. (1) Veterans Beach makes his first start of the year as a new gelding after having changed to the barn of Christophe Clement and gets Joel Rosario. That duo is winning at a 35% clip at the Spa.

7^th race – (5) Harlem Heights made his 2020 debut for the Phipps Stable and Shug McGaughey at Belmont last month in a seven-furlong maiden special weight where he ran second. He comes back in a similar spot here. (1) Black Magic Woman will make her first start for Todd Pletcher after a series of impressive workouts including a :46-4 blow out last week. (7) Heavenly Sis was second in her last two starts in Kentucky, one at Churchill Downs and the next at Keeneland. (4) Apurate will switch from turf to dirt in her first start since November for Pletcher. Her last two starts were seconds on the grass.

10^th race – (1) Cainudothetwist (B) ran second in her debut at Belmont last month and finished well ahead of the rest of the ten-horse field while shying from the whip in the stretch. She was not claimed in that $40,000 maiden claimer for NY-breds on the turf and comes right back in a similar spot. (9) Beyond Brown will make her third start of the year and her first in a claimer. Last time she set the pace and then finished three lengths behind. (2) Women Not Easy got steadied twice last race and still managed to finish within five of the top spot. (5) Herwaze made a big improvement in her second start of the year when she led at the sixteenth pole but ended up second. She comes right back on 11 days rest for a usually cautious trainer.

Best bets:  Naughty Prince (2^nd); Harlem Heights (7^th). Best value:  Three Outlaws (3^rd); Cainudothetwist (7^th)