Saratoga TRAVERS FULLCARD Hotlist - August 28

Today’s NY Hot List races to watch – FULL CARD PICKS - Saturday, August 28, 2021 at Saratoga – Day 33
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 worst
* - 4 or more betting notches if 11-1 or more.

1^st race [Md Sp Wt 100000, 1 1/16 mi TURF] – (10) Sweeping Giant (B) made his first start for Todd Pletcher and rallied to run second behind a very talented runner for Shug. (7) Doctor Davis (B) was in that same race as the top choice where was keen in his debut for Bill Mott and raced wide throughout. (8) Speaking Scout was a private purchase by Eclipse Thoroughbreds after his first start at Colonial Downs where he had the lead and then finished second. He is now trained by Graham Motion. (3) Electability will debut for Chad Brown and Klaravich Stables. He was a $300,000 weanling purchase.

2^nd race [Md Sp Wt 100000, 6F] – (2) Dr. Perry will make his debut for Steve Asmussen as a $690,000 yearling purchase. He comes with the winning workout pattern for Asmussen that includes a fast gate work. (1) Back to Normal was 4-1 in his first start for Mike Maker and ran second at Ellis Park behind a horse that came back to win a stake in his next start. (6) Illustrious will make his first start for Wesley Ward who is winning with 33% of his debut runners. (7) Steinbeck was a $690,000 yearling purchase who makes his first start for Todd Pletcher who is once again winning with his 2-year-olds at Saratoga.

3^rd race [Alw 103000 N1X, 1 1/16 mi TURF] – (1A) Sparkling Sky made her first start of the year against the boys for Horatio DePaz after racing in stakes last year. She moves back to a suitable spot for her second race of 2021. (6) Secret Time had the lead in the stretch and got caught in her first start since April. (8) Love And Thunder has three second-place finishes since joining the Chad Brown barn from racing in England. (7) Kitten by the Sea has two starts at Saratoga already for Pletcher with a front-end win in a starter allowance last time out.

4^th race [Ballston Spa (G2), 1 1/16 mi TURF] – (4) New York Girl (B/D) is a double Hot List qualifier after getting bet down from 5-1 to be the favorite in her last start where she also got steadied sharply going into the first turn. (3) Viadera had a terrible trip last time when she was the favorite and got blocked and steadied and then had to alter paths to get some room, but it was too late. (6) Kalifornia Queen won an allowance at Belmont Park and then was second in the Matchmaker at Monmouth Park (G3) for Chad Brown. (2) Tamahere is the third runner for Brown in this field. She was second in the Jenny Wiley (G1) at Keeneland in April.

5^th race [NY, Md Sp Wt 85000, 6 ½ F] – (8) Wicked Bobby (B) just stood when the gates opened in his debut, but he still managed to go from last to fourth. (4) Whittington Park gets blinkers on after shying away while in contention in his first start for Brad Cox where he was third at 5-1. (1) Koosman ships up from Monmouth to make his first career start against NY-breds for Tim Hills. 1969 Mets fans have to like this guy named for the great pitcher. (6) Brady’s Legacy will debut for Jeremiah Englehart who is once again winning with his 2-year-olds. This one sold for $250,000 in March.

6^th race [Alw 103000 N1X, 5 ½ F TURF] – (6) Charmed (A) stumbled at the start and the rider lost his irons putting the colt in 10^th and last. He rallied while racing wide to finish third. (11) Big Package finished ahead of the Hot List horse in that same race when he also rallied from the back to get second. (9) Shiraz won a top-level NY-bred allowance after pressing the pace and can now go back to a first-level spot against open company. (10) Christopher returned to the grass to win a starter allowance by more than four-lengths.

7^th race [Ballerina (G1), 7F] – (1) Gamine is the winner of 8 out of 9 career starts with her only loss in the Kentucky Oaks (G1), but Gamine is a dominant sprinter and the reigning Top Female Sprinter. (7) Cece shipped from California to win the Princess Rooney (G2) going seven-furlongs with an impressive stalking trip. (5) Sconsin ran second behind Gamine at Churchill Downs on Derby Day. (6) Estilo Talentoso has finished in the top three in all 15 of her starts. She is in fine form and ships up from her Delaware Park base.

8^th race [Forego (G1), 7F] – (4) Mind Control does well at Saratoga and at the seven-furlong distance. He returned to his winning ways in the Nerud (G2) at Belmont Park. There is plenty of speed to set up his closing move. (7) Yaupon will have to stretch his speed to this distance for the first time in his career but we have seen trainer Steve Asmussen do this before. Yaupon won both of his starts at the Spa last year. (2) Whitmore will get the right pace scenario to allow for a late run to be right there at the finish. (3) Lexitonian was the upset winner of the Vanderbilt (G1) at Saratoga last time.

9^th race [H. Allen Jerkens (G1), 7F] – (2) Jackie’s Warrior has won all three of his starts at Saratoga including the Amsterdam (G2) by seven lengths. No doubt this is about as tough a field as could be assembled, so there is no room for error. (6) Life is Good is unbeaten in three starts in California with an eye on the Kentucky Derby. He returns from a March layoff and as part of the Todd Pletcher barn. He may actually be better as a sprinter, but this is a very fast field. (4) Following Sea tried the Haskell (G1) but the nine-furlongs was too much. He is one who may be able to sit off the blistering pace and rally. (1) Drain the Clock is another fast 3-year-old who prefers to be part of the early pace.

10^th race [Personal Ensign (G1), 1 1/8 mi] – (6) Letruska is the winner of 5 out of her last 6 starts with a pair of Grade 1s in her last three races. She sits on top of the Older Dirt Female division after dominant wins in her last three races. She prefers to go to the lead and take control of the race. (5) Royal Flag finished in the top three in all 10 of her races. She won the Shuvee (G3) at Saratoga last time out and is in the best form of her career for Chad Brown.  (4) Swiss Skydiver is the reigning 3-Year-Old Filly Champion, but nothing has gone right this year since winning her debut at Santa Anita in March. Certainly, if she can have a top effort then she could turn the tables on Letruska. (8) Harvey’s Lil Goil moves from turf to dirt where she has won in the past for Bill Mott. Maybe the surface change can get her back to her best. Last year, she was third in the Alabama (G1).

11^th race [Sword Dancer (G1), 1 ½ mi TURF] – (6) Japan has been racing against the best turf horses in Great Britain recording his share of victories. The team Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore has been doing quite well while visiting America this summer. (1) Tribhuvan has the early speed that can and has been very dangerous as seen in the United Nations (G1) in his most recent start. (7) Cross Border won the Bowling Green (G2) at Saratoga last time for Mike Maker who is at his best in these long turf races. Leading rider Luis Saez stays on board. (2) Gufo has hit the board in all 11 of his starts.

12^th race [Travers (G1), 1 1/4 mi] – (2) Essential Quality has run eight times and is only one length short of a perfect record and that one length was in the Kentucky Derby. This son of Tapit has six graded stakes wins and three of them were in Grade 1s. No other horse in this field has done better than a Grade 3 victory. Essential Quality cut back from his Belmont Stakes to win the Jim Dandy (G2) and that is not easy to do. He has stamina, a turn of foot down the stretch, and knows how to win. (1) Midnight Bourbon hit the board in 8 out of his 10 career starts missing only when sixth in the Kentucky Derby and then when getting fouled in the stretch of the Haskell (G1). He has tactical speed and a class edge with his four recent starts coming in Grade 1 and 2 stakes. (4) Dynamic One bounced back from a bad experience in the Kentucky Derby to win the Curlin at Saratoga with a closing move where he looked like a winner the entire race. Todd Pletcher has this son of Union Rags going in the right direction. (7) King Fury has had bad luck mixed in with excellent races. He was meant for the Jim Dandy but then could not run when his barn was quarantined. Trainer Kenny McPeek opted to give him a race on the turf. The 15-1 morning line odds seem too high but are very attractive since his wins are just as good as anybody in the field but the top choice.

13^th race [NY, Md 40000, 1 1/16 mi TURF] – (5) Tales of Makenna got off to a slow start in her debut on a sloppy track that was meant for the grass. She did no running at odds of 5-1 for George Weaver, but on the grass in her second start I expect an improved effort. (1) Dancing Firefly was second in her first start at Belmont and then caught a muddy track at Saratoga and was eased. She drops back down to a claimer with hopes of running on the grass. (6) Constitutionalrage had an excellent race on the turf three back and goes back to the grass. (10) Home for Christmas ran in an off the turf race in her first start of the year for Christophe Clement.

Saturday Pick 3 Special --
The Saturday Special $1 Pick 3 on races 4 – 6 starts with the Ballston Spa (G2) à 2, 3, 4, 6 with 1, 4, 6, 8 with 6 = $16.