Saratoga Hotlist - September 1

Today’s NY Hot List races to watch Wednesday, September 1, 2021 at Saratoga – Day 35
                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.

4^th race [OC80k/N2X, 1 1/16 mi TURF] – (2) Tass (B) got pinched back at the start and then got steadied and blocked in the stretch. (6) In a Hurry comes back after a second in a similar spot at Belmont Park in June for Shug McGaughey. (4) Sun Summers was third at Saratoga a month ago in the same type of race for Mike Maker. (8) Clara Peeters will drop down in class as she comes back from a year away from the races. Brad Cox does well with long layoffs.

5^th race [Clm 16000 N2L, 1 1/8 mi] – (2) Speed Effect (D) set the pace and finished fourth after a five-month layoff for a $25,000 tag where he got bet down from 9-1 to 7-1. (5) Lokoya Road made up ground, was third last time, and also drops down in claiming price. (7) Johnnypump broke his maiden for a $20,000 tag last time out for Mike Maker, so this is the right spot to face winners. (4) Chase Tracker has good efforts going the nine-furlongs

8^th race [Alw 103000 N1X, 1 1/8 mi] – (5) Business Model (A) took a lot of kickback at the back of the field and then had to try and rally into a slow pace. His race looks worse than it was in the past performances. (4) Texas Swing (B) has been away since April when he tossed his head at the break at Aqueduct. He was third in the 2020 Tampa Derby (G2) behind King Guillermo. (6) Vindictive got a big speed figure in his maiden breaker at Saratoga at the end of July for Todd Pletcher going two-turns. (3) Runnin Ray won his last two starts for Joe Sharp including a neck victory in a starter allowance at Saratoga against a Chad Brown runner that came back to win his next start.

9^th race [With Anticipation (G3), 1 1/16 mi TURF] – (1) Limited Liabilty (A) was an impressive debut winner for Shug, who usually does not win with his firsters. Likely, he will take a step forward. (4) Portfolio Company was a first-time winner for Chad Brown that was bet down to almost even money and after being rank in the early going got a clear lead early in the stretch. (3) Gooch Go Bragh debuted at 4-1 for Pletcher and Donegal Racing and finished second on August 7 with a late rally. (6) Coinage was a $450,000 yearling purchase was third in a NY-bred stake last time. He’ll go dirt to turf and stretch out for sprinting.

Best bets:  Speed Effect (5^th); Limited Liability (9^th). Best value:  Tass (4^th); Business Model (8^th).