Belmont Park Hotlist - June 4

Today’s NY Hot List races to watch – Saturday, June 4, 2022 at Belmont Park
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.

3^rd race [Clm 20000, 7F] – (7) Red Pepper Grill (D) will drop down from a starter allowance where she pressed the pace and was bet from 8-1 to 9-2. (2) Prairie Fire moves from NY-bred claimers, where she ran third and first, to open claiming at the same price. (6) Quasar has two fourth-place finishes in New York since a layoff and makes a small move down the claiming ladder. (1) Greatest Love was claimed two races back for $20,000 by Gustavo Rodriguez and then tried a starter handicap. She will get blinkers on along with Joel Rosario.

4^th race [NY, OC 45k/N2X, 6F TURF] – (2) Not Phar Now (C) returned to the races after a year off and was bet down from 5-1 to 3-1. He pressed the pace, got the lead, and finished third. He will go a furlong less at the same level of racing. (4) Swashbuckle was second at this level in his first start after a winter layoff when he pressed the pace. (1) Valmont got claimed for $45,000 by Mike Maker out of the same race as the second choice. (5) Surprise Boss got back on the turf in his second start after a layoff and ran a big race to win an allowance by more than four lengths.

6^th race [Clm 10000, 7F] – (1) Golani Brigade (D) will drop down from a $25,000 NY-bred claimer when he was bet down from 9-2 to 5-2. (8) Joycee Has Pizzaz will get class relief to this low level for the first time. He has a strong record at Belmont Park of 9: 3-2-1. (5) F F Rocket was third last month for a $16,000 tag when he cut back in distance to sprinting. (3) Mission Wrapitup was a winner the last time he raced for a $10,000 tag in March and faced better in his last three starts.

8^th race [Alw 50000s, 1 mi] – (3) Luni Sima (C) is in fine form since coming to New York from Florida and racing three times. He was second last time in a similar spot when he was bet down from 9-2 to 2-1. (6) Royal Tryst was a winner in his first start for Mike Maker by four lengths on a muddy Belmont track for a $35,000 tag. (9) Blake B. dropped back into the claiming ranks from an Aqueduct stake and won by more than four lengths. (2) Invisible War won a maiden special weight at Gulfstream Park and then was second at Fair Grounds in a starter allowance. Last start at Churchill was not good but he gets blinkers on now.

Best bets: Red Pepper Grill (3^rd); Not Phar Now (4^th). Best value: Golani Brigade (6^th); Luni Sima (8^th).

Saturday Pick 3 Special --
The Saturday Special $1 Pick 3 covers races 2-4  à 6 with 1, 2, 6, 7 with 1, 2, 4, 5 = $16.