Saratoga Hotlist - August 5

Today’s NY Hot List races to watch – Thursday, August 5, 2021 at Saratoga – Day 16
                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 [Alw 50000s, 1 mi TURF] – (1) Panster (D) was bet down from 8-1 to 5-1 even though he was moving up from a maiden claiming victory to face winners for the first time in a starter allowance. (2) Turn of Events put together two very similar and strong performances in claimers at Belmont Park. (6) Handy was claimed for $50,000 last time at Saratoga in race that came off the turf and he finished a neck from the win. (5) Made My Day returned from a December layoff to run third in a starter allowance for Michael Stidham.

5^th race [Clm 16000 N2L, 1 1/8 mi] – (1) Wartime Hero will make his 2021 debut for a new trainer in Danny Gargan. He broke his maiden for a $50,000 tag at Keeneland last summer. (4) Swinging Sticks will drop down to a more appropriate level after two tries in unrealistic spots. He will come with big odds for a low-profile trainer. (8) Z’finale will need to get back to his best effort but the Bond horses do that at Saratoga from time to time. (2) Operative will drop down significantly and change from turf to dirt for Chad Summers and will also be a big price.

7^th race [Alw 50000s, 1 mi TURF] – (5) Mr. Kringle (B) had to wait in traffic while blocked down the stretch and then surged for second in a similar type of race. (10) Public Information (A) crossed the finish line in front but was disqualified and placed fifth. That would have been his second win in a row. He was claimed away from Chad Brown for $40,000. (8) Bad Guy (B) rallied for fourth after a slow start and now moves back to a starter allowance where last he ran second. (7) Landbiscuit has never run worse that third in four starts for Bill Mott. Most recently, he won a maiden special weight that came off the turf and gets Luis Saez to ride.

10^th race [NY, Md 40000, 1 1/16 TURF] – (9) Escapewithfriends (A) got off to a slow start in her debut, then appeared uninterested in running, but found her stride and rallied briskly to get second. George Weaver youngsters usually move forward in start two. (3) Mondeuse (C) has early speed that she used to set the pace and finish a neck out of the top spot. She was bet down from 6-1 to 5-2*. (1) Bella Principessa ducked in at the break in a race that came off the turf and was run on a sloppy track. She gets Irad Ortiz and will hopefully stay on the grass this time where twice she just missed the win. (5) Lookin to Fly made her first start of the year for Joe Sharp and ran third. She will get blinkers on as she stretched out.

Best bets:  Wartime Hero (5^th); Escapewithfriends (10^th). Best value:  Panster (4^th); Mr. Kringle (7^th).