Saratoga Hotlist - July 28

Today’s NY Hot List races to watch – Thursday, July 28, 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 [NY, Md Sp Wt, 5½ F TURF] – (6) Snowy Evening (A) was second in her debut for Todd Pletcher after having the lead and then was well ahead of the rest of the field. (3) Souffle will make her first start for the Clement barn. She is out of a mare that also produced the $221,000 stakes winner Derrynane who broke her maiden at Saratoga. (7) Showemyourheels was a $350,000 yearling purchase that makes her first start and comes with a strong turf pedigree. (5) Slow Down Summer will also debut here and she, too, comes from a mare with excellent turf credentials.

4^th race [NY, Md Sp Wt, 7F] – (6) Ocean’s Reserve made significant improvement in three starts this year with a pair of narrow misses to win in her most recent races. (8) Devil Boy made a big jump up in his second start of the year to finish behind the top choice. (5) Curlin’s Wisdom is another one on the improve with a pair of seconds in his last starts. (4) Compromiser was sent off as the favorite in his second start when he moved to the turf for a low-profile trainer. Now, he is back to a sprint on the main track.

6^th race [Md 40000, 1 mi TURF] – (4) Public Service was claimed from Chad Brown by Mike Maker after running third in a blanket finish in a field where the top two finishers came back to win a claiming $50,000 and the place horse broke her maiden at this level. (3) Birthday Time will drop down another claiming notch for Todd Pletcher after a very wide trip. Speed figures say that she is a contender. (7) Dancing Sophia was close to breaking her maiden in her last three starts for Graham Motion. (10) Investment Income will make another drop down as she looks for the right level of competition for Chad Brown.

7^th race [Alw 115000 N1X, 5½ F TURF] – (8) Boston Tea Party was an impressive debut winner who stepped up to stakes company for his second start. He is projected to be on the lead from his outside post position. (5) Legends Can’t Die was a debut winner as the 7-5 favorite for George Weaver so clearly the word was out that this horse could run. (3) Ring of Fire is in excellent form this year with a N3L claiming victory followed by an allowance second. Rudy Rodriguez took him from the claimer. (1) Evan Sing will make his New York debut after three good starts for Al Stall Jr. at Fair Grounds and Churchill Downs.

Best bets:  Ocean’s Reserve (4^th); Boston Tea Party (7^th). Best value:  Snowy Evening (2^nd); Public Service (6^th).