Saratoga Hotlist - July 21

Today’s NY Hot List races to watch – Thursday, July 21, 2022 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 [Hcp 25000s, 1 1/8 mi] – (1) Grumps Little Tots won his first start for Charlie Baker which came following a November layoff when Baker claimed him for $25,000. He should run well again and handle the nine-furlong distance. (4) No Burn is in fine form right now with three wins from his last four starts including a second in a similar spot last month. (5) Perceived was the winner of a recent edition of this race and a $50,000 starter allowance in April. (6) Palace Coup was claimed by Joe Sharp for $25,000 last month at Churchill Downs and is also in excellent form.

3^rd race [Clm 50000 N2L, 1 1/16 mi TURF] – (5) Icarus will drop into the N2L condition for Brad Cox for the first time after winning a maiden special weight and then trying a pair of allowances. (7) Al’s Prince was claimed for $35,000 on July 15 when he was third and comes right back for the new connections. (6) St. Joe Louis won a turf maiden special weight at Belmont for Chad Brown, tried a series of allowances, before running second after dropping into a claimer for the first time. Irad gets back on board. (4) Resilient Courage broke his maiden last start for David Donk who has two Saratoga wins this summer already.

8^th race [NY, Alw 95000 N1X, 1 1/8 mi] – (3) Caragate (C) was entered twice for main track only at the Spa and now gets back to an allowance where she was second last time after getting bet to be the 8-5 favorite from 3-1. (7) Mia Bea Star ran just behind the Hot List horse last start and gets a rider upgrade. (2) Captainsdaughter drops out of a series of eight stakes races with a third against open company at Monmouth Park this month. (1) U Guys Are No Fun was first or second in her last five starts at Finger Lakes for Jeremiah Englehart.

9^th race [NY, Rick Violette, 1 1/16 mi TURF] – (4) Dakota Gold was a stakes winner at Monmouth Park last year and then was fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1). He won a NY Stallion Series race last month in his first start of the year. (7) Practice Squad was second or third in his past four starts including when Joe Sharp claimed him for $30,000 at Fair Grounds in February. (5) Timbuktu won his debut at Saratoga last summer for Brad Cox and was second in an allowance last month at Belmont beaten by just a head. (3) Coinage won the With Anticipation (G3) at the Spa last summer along with the Palm Beach at Gulfstream Park in March. This will be his first start against NY-breds since last summer.

Best bets:  Icarus (3^rd); Dakota Gold (9^th). Best value:  Grumps Little Tots (2^nd); Caragate (8^th).