Saratoga Hotlist - August12

Today’s New York Hot List races to watch – Wednesday, August 12, 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.

4^th race – (7) Radiantrithym (B) was claimed by Linda Rice after a third in a $20,000 claimer at Belmont Park last month. Rice brings her back for $12,500 clearly looking for a quick win. The 6-year-old hit the board 37 times in 58 career starts. (3) Friend of Liberty ran fourth for a $16,000 tag after being claimed by Rice for $12,500. (2) Fair Lassie drops down from two NY-bred allowances to the lowest level in her career. (6) Tied Up was claimed for $10,000 last month at Finger Lakes when she finished third. Last year she won six races in a row. She won 11 of her 22 career starts.

7^th race – (9) South Africa (D) debuted last summer at Saratoga and got in a 4-way battle for the lead while racing the widest of the group after taking late money. We have not seen this guy since that race and Michelle Nevin puts blinkers on and goes from dirt to turf. (12) Sandro the Great ran second in his first start against NY-breds in a race intended for the grass. He’s back on the turf going a mile for Christophe Clement. (11) Microsecond was second or third in all three of his starts and now Todd Pletcher will try him on the grass after his best effort. (2) Tackle has been working very well for his debut for Bill Mott who wins more often with first-timers when they are on the turf as he did the other day.

8^th race – (3) Liveyourbeastlife (C) ran the best race of his career at Belmont last month when he was bet down late from 24-1 to 19-1. He set the pace and then dueled down the stretch to run third. This will be his third start after a layoff. (7) Candy Tycoon stumbled at the start in the Peter Pan (G3) and lost all chance, but he was second in the Fountain of Youth (G2) on the original Derby trail. This Pletcher runner gets lots of class relief in this first-level allowance. (5) Unrighteous went from a maiden win at Gulfstream Park to the Ohio Derby (G3) for Pletcher and now drops back to a more suitable level. (2) Forza Di Oro was last seen trying the Remsen (G2) at Aqueduct and returns for Bill Mott.

10^th race – (8) Gringotts (D) bobbled at the break in a race in which she was bet down from 9-1 to 6-1 as she dropped won to the $25,000 NY-bred maiden claiming level. She comes right back at the same level.  (6) Deeply Analytical debuted last summer at Saratoga for Chad Brown as a heavy favorite, set the pace, faded to fifth, and now returns for Jorge Abreu who adds blinkers. (10) Love Me Tomorrow has shown speed in recent starts and now drops down a notch. (4) Mebs Web ran a good third in his return to state-bred company after racing at Oaklawn Park for Nick Zito.

Best bets:  Radiantrithym (4^th); Liveyourbeastlife (8^th). Best value:  South Africa (7^th); Gringotts (10^th).