Saratoga Hotlist - August 6

Today’s NY Hot List races to watch – Friday, August 6, 2021 at Saratoga – Day 17
                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 [Clm 12500, 1 1/8 mi] – (8) Malibu Pro was claimed from his last three starts, most recently for $25,000 by Linda Rice who now drops him in for this lowest price. I prefer drop downs in this type of claiming race. (4) Tapalist won off the claim for Robertino DIodoro for $14,000 after racing six-wide. (2) Crea’s Bklyn Law raced at Saratoga less than two weeks ago and drops from $20,000 for excellent Florida claiming trainer Peter Walder. (3) Dunph ran third at the $20,000 level after he was claimed two races back for $12,500.

4^th race [OC100k/N3X, 6 ½ F] – (5) Wicked Trick exits three graded stakes races including a second in the Westchester behind Dr Post. (4) Answer In has a pair of off the pace victories with his best speed figures and should get plenty of speed to set things up. (1) Jalen Journey was third and then second in similar top-level allowances for Steve Asmussen. (2) Endorsed has past graded stakes experience and fits well with this group of allowance horses.                                                 

5^th race [Md 50000, 7F] – (1) Commandandcontrol was heavily bet from 17-1 to 9-1 as she tried the turf for the first time and dropped into a maiden claimer for the first time. Now it’s back to the dirt for Chad Brown. (7) Hot Anna broke out at the start of her debut at Churchill Downs for Kenny McPeek. (5) Lady Clementine will move back to the dirt and make that big drop from maiden special weight racing where she did run second at this distance. (6) Thegoddessofsnakes debuted in September in a stakes race and has been off since then. She will move to the barn of Chad Summers.

7^th race [Hall of Fame (G2), 1 mi TURF] – (2) Public Sector (A) had to try and use his closing move against a slow unpressured pace setter, yet he still got within a head of the winner. (7) Next was a front-end winner of the War Chant at Churchill for Wesley Ward earning a top speed figure. (6) Original was the pace setter and winner of the Manila at Belmont Park that was mentioned above. (8) Wolfie’s Dynaghost was an easy winner of an allowance that was meant for the grass last month. The half-brother of turf star Sadler’s Joy hopes to get on the grass now.

Best bets:  Malibu Pro (2^nd); Commandandcontrol (5^th). Best value:  Wicked Trick (4^th); Public Sector (7^th).