Saratoga Hotlist - July 18

Today’s NY Hot List races to watch – Sunday, July 18, 2021 at Saratoga – Day 4
                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 [Md 75000, 1 1/16 mi TURF] – (8) Amano (D) makes his 2021 debut for Chad Brown as a new gelding after racing exclusively in the maiden special weight ranks last year. (7) Group Hug also makes his first try racing for a tag for Mike Maker. He returns to the turf with a past grass race that was one of his best. (2) Charleston Strong gets blinkers on for the first time for Jeremiah Englehart which is a positive move for that trainer. He, too, makes the big drop. (11) Complicate showed speed in his first race on the turf and may not find much pressure out front from this field.

3^rd race [NY, Alw 90000 N1X, 5 ½ F TURF] – (2) Canarsie Angel (C) was a front-end winner last time in an open company claimer when she was bet down from 5-1 to 3-1. Now she will go back to NY-bred company. (10) Fractorzation (B) hopped at the start and then was rushed up to press a fast pace. She is a filly that does best on the lead. (4) Athena Dancer will make her 2021 debut after winning a turf sprint last fall at Aqueduct and then tried a state-bred stake. There is plenty of speed in this field to set-up her late running style. (12) Show Me the Honey was a rare debut winner for Michelle Nevin last year. After two stakes races, she will get Lasix for the first time and the right pace scenario.

6^th race [Clm 50000 N3L or 3YO, 1 mi TURF] – (5) Malthael (C) was bet down from 7-2 to 9-5 and was claimed by Mike Maker after running third for a $35,000 tag. (3) Blue Lou Boyle has won his last two starts including a starter allowance and now drops down to the claiming ranks for Mark Casse. (9) Summer to Remember gets significant class relief as a horse that is stakes placed last year for Todd Pletcher. (4) Fortuity ships up from Kentucky for Maker and drops in for a tag for the first time in his career.

8^th race [NY, OC45k/N2X, 6F] – (4) Diva Banker (C) won her last two races. On the front end, she won an $8,000 open claimer for Ray Handal and then rallied in a NY-bred allowance while getting bet down from 16-1 to 11-1. The filly she beat last time came back to win her next start. (7) Betsy Blue has put together four straight victories, the last two for Linda Rice who claimed her for $50,000 three starts ago. For Rice she won against open company and then took a NY-bred stake. (8) Awesome Debate was claimed last race for $45,000 by Danny Gargan who wins with 45% of his new runners. (3) Pleasure Luck was the winner of a first-level allowance for Mark Hennig while racing from a stalking position.

Best bets:  Amano (2^nd); Malthael (6^th). Best value:  Canarsie Angel (3^rd); Diva Banker (8^th).