Saratoga Hotlist - July 22

Today’s NY Hot List races to watch – Thursday, July 22, 2021 at Saratoga – Day 6
                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.

3^rd race [Clm 12500, 7F] – (1A) Violent Trick (C) dropped down to this level and missed the win by a neck after setting the pace while getting bet down from 6-1 to 4-1. Now, she cuts back in distance. (2) Sirenic was claimed in November for $20,000 by Linda Rice and has been racing since then in allowances where she won once. (4) Gentle Annie was a winner last time at Belmont Park in a $20,000 claimer with a N3L condition. (3) Mongolian Humor has a third and a second at this level as a consistent sort.

7^th race [Clm 16000 N2L, 6F] – (6) Quantitativbreezin drops down to a winning level for Brad Cox after running second for a $40,000 tag which was also where she broke her maiden. (9) Traffic Lane was recently moved to the barn of Rudy Rodriguez from that of Todd Pletcher, gets blinkers on, drops in claiming price, goes turf to dirt, cuts back in distance, and tries N2L for the first time. (10) Chloe Rose was claimed two races back for $30,000 by Bruce Brown and then set the pace on the turf for $40,000. (7) Red Pepper Grill was claimed at Keeneland for $30,000 back in March and then tried a second-level allowance at Parx. This spot should be suitable.

9^th race [Alw 103000 N1X, 1 1/8 mi] – (3) Ice Princess will return to the dirt where she belongs after a pair of allowance seconds at Aqueduct. She was also second in the Comely (G3) in November. (5) Portilla was a debut winner of a maiden special weight at Churchill Downs in April and followed that up with a fourth in an allowance in Kentucky. Trainer Al Stall already has a victory at the meeting. (1A) Played Hard was a recent maiden breaker at Churchill on the front end after hitting the board in all four of her starts.

10^th race [NY, Md 40000, 5 ½ F TURF] – (2) Orma returns from a couple of months off for the Bond barn which has two wins at Saratoga this summer. Last start she was third at this level. (4) Social Whirl has flashed speed in prior starts and that should serve her well in this shorter race. (12) Stella Mars would be the top choice were it not for the far outside post position. Last time she was second at Belmont after a four-month layoff in her return to the turf. (5) Undetectable will have a second start following a layoff for Jorge Abreu.

Best bets:  Violent Trick (3^rd); Ice Princess (9^th). Best value:  Quantitativbreezin (7^th); Orma (10^th).