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Saratoga Hotlist - August 10
Aug. 09, 2023
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 4th or worse
* - 4 or more betting notches if 11-1 or more.
2nd race [NY, Md 30000, 6F] – (4) Montauk Mystique will make the drop from maiden special weight to maiden claimer for Mike Miceli who has had some luck with this move. (5) Cause I’m Elegant makes her third start following a layoff for David Donk. (6) Strange Fruit has a few past races in claimers that are good enough to win in this field. (7) Phinneys Harbor had her best race in her debut on a fast dirt track at Aqueduct in March and since then was on the turf twice and a muddy surface. She has shown early speed in all four of her starts.
4th race [Clm 25000, 1 1/8 mi] – (5) Dust Devil has a win and two seconds in his last three starts which were in $20,000, 25,000, and 32,000 claimers where she was claimed twice. (7) Truculent was winner last time for $16,000 and is a past winner at the nine-furlong distance. (1) Two Thirty Five had two big speed figures in his last two starts and is likely to be part of the early pace. (2) My Friends Beer was claimed three times recently with two wins at today’s level and is the one with early speed.
6th race [R, Md Sp Wt, 6F] – (1) Walstib (A) was fractious before what was supposed to be her debut at Saratoga, had to be scratched, and at that point was bet heavily to be 2-1. (3) Le Dom Bro had a pair of starts at Gulfstream Park in open races where he finished second twice and ships north to find this race which is restricted to 2-year-olds that sold for $50,000 or less. (8) Khanate will make his first start for Todd Pletcher and Calumet Farms. (9) First Trumpet gets blinkers on for his second start.
8th race [Clm 16000 N2L, 7F] – (5) Moving Pictures was third in a N2L claimer for a $25,000 tag for Rudy Rodriguez who has been picking winning spots for his horses at Saratoga. (2) Magical Ways was a maiden winner for a $40,000 price three races back and then was in over his head in two starter allowances. (9) Pine Valley is projected to be on the lead which is a familiar spot that has yielded a pair of thirds at Parx at the $25,000 level. (4) With Know Name gets blinkers on and Lasix for the first time in his 2023 debut. Last year he won a $40,000 maiden claimer and then tried a NY-bred stakes race.
Best bets: Dust Devil (4th); Moving Pictures 8th). Best value: Montauk Mystique (2nd); Walstib (6th).
Aug. 09, 2023
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 4th or worse
* - 4 or more betting notches if 11-1 or more.
2nd race [NY, Md 30000, 6F] – (4) Montauk Mystique will make the drop from maiden special weight to maiden claimer for Mike Miceli who has had some luck with this move. (5) Cause I’m Elegant makes her third start following a layoff for David Donk. (6) Strange Fruit has a few past races in claimers that are good enough to win in this field. (7) Phinneys Harbor had her best race in her debut on a fast dirt track at Aqueduct in March and since then was on the turf twice and a muddy surface. She has shown early speed in all four of her starts.
4th race [Clm 25000, 1 1/8 mi] – (5) Dust Devil has a win and two seconds in his last three starts which were in $20,000, 25,000, and 32,000 claimers where she was claimed twice. (7) Truculent was winner last time for $16,000 and is a past winner at the nine-furlong distance. (1) Two Thirty Five had two big speed figures in his last two starts and is likely to be part of the early pace. (2) My Friends Beer was claimed three times recently with two wins at today’s level and is the one with early speed.
6th race [R, Md Sp Wt, 6F] – (1) Walstib (A) was fractious before what was supposed to be her debut at Saratoga, had to be scratched, and at that point was bet heavily to be 2-1. (3) Le Dom Bro had a pair of starts at Gulfstream Park in open races where he finished second twice and ships north to find this race which is restricted to 2-year-olds that sold for $50,000 or less. (8) Khanate will make his first start for Todd Pletcher and Calumet Farms. (9) First Trumpet gets blinkers on for his second start.
8th race [Clm 16000 N2L, 7F] – (5) Moving Pictures was third in a N2L claimer for a $25,000 tag for Rudy Rodriguez who has been picking winning spots for his horses at Saratoga. (2) Magical Ways was a maiden winner for a $40,000 price three races back and then was in over his head in two starter allowances. (9) Pine Valley is projected to be on the lead which is a familiar spot that has yielded a pair of thirds at Parx at the $25,000 level. (4) With Know Name gets blinkers on and Lasix for the first time in his 2023 debut. Last year he won a $40,000 maiden claimer and then tried a NY-bred stakes race.
Best bets: Dust Devil (4th); Moving Pictures 8th). Best value: Montauk Mystique (2nd); Walstib (6th).
| No. | Name | Letter/ last race |
Today's Race | Comments |
| (1) | Walstib | A on 7/20 | 6 | Fractious pre-race, late scratch at 2-1 before attempted debut. |
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