Saratoga Hotlist - July 25

Today’s NY Hot List races to watch – Sunday, July 25, 2021 at Saratoga – Day 9
                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 [NY, Alw 90000 N1X, 5 ½ F TURF] – (11) Panster (D) broke his maiden in a claimer in his 2021 debut and then tried a starter allowance where he took late money from 8-1 to 4-1 for Christophe Clement. (5) Veterans Beach had the lead in his first start of the year and finished second for Clement earning what is the highest recent speed figure from this field. (4) Dr. Blute will run again on the turf which is his best surface based on an allowance second last year. (9) Dr. Duke returns from an April layoff with strong turf sprints at the Gulfstream Park championship meeting.

3^rd race [NY, Md Sp Wt 85000, 1 1/16 mi TURF] – In what is a first for the NY Hot List, there are five Hot List horses in this one race. They come out of four different races but somehow have all shown up in this spot. (3) Marvelous Maude (A) broke outward in her debut for Chad Brown and had to be checked putting her last in the field of eight. She rallied late for third. (2) Hit the Nail (A) made her first start in an open maiden claimer and had what the chart caller described as a “nightmare trip” and now goes against NY-breds. (1) Dancing Firefly (C) had the lead in her first career start for Danny Gargan and finished second after getting bet down from 7-1 to 5-1. (9) Caumsett (C) looks like the lone speed in this field after she was second in her last start. (7) Pop the Bubbly (C) comes back from a January layoff and moves back to the grass.

4^th race [NY, OC 45k/N2X, 6F] – (2) Tale of the Union was second in an open company allowance in his first start of the year after racing in tight quarters. That was his first start after officially moving to the barn of John Terranova from Bob Baffert. Both parts of the Michael Dubb entry are win contenders. (1) Excellent Timing for Chad Brown and (1A) Bronx Bomber gets blinkers on for Rudy Rodriguez. (3) Moonachie was first or second in 6 out of his last 7 starts, some in open company, for Jeremiah Englehart. (4) Binkster moves back to state-bred competition after winning at Monmouth Park. He is stakes-placed against fellow NY-breds.

5^th race [Clm 40000 N2L, 5 ½ F TURF] – (5) Ginger Kitty (D) ran into traffic in her second start back from a layoff after getting bet down from 9-1 to 2-1. (6) Summer At the Spa will return to N2L racing after two tries in starter allowances. Last time at this level she was second. (7) Defy Expectations made the move back to this condition and was second after setting the pace at Belmont Park. (12) Sassy Melissa would have been more highly listed were it not for the outside post. She dropped back to a N2L and rallied late for a close third.

Best bets:  Marvelous Maude (3^rd); Tale of the Union (4^th). Best value:  Panster (2^nd); Ginger Kitty (5^th).