Friday, August 1, 2025 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.

3^rd race [Alw 12500s, 1 mi] – (1) Gone and Forgotten won her last two starts both of which were at Saratoga and were 10 days apart winning a $12,500 claimer and was taken and then in a similar starter allowance. Now she comes back on just nine days rest. (2) It Takes Heart was claimed from a victory in a $10,000 claimer at Aqueduct in June and then was third in a $25,000 starter allowance. (4) Speak Softly changes barns to Joe Sharp after racing in Texas and Oklahoma with four wins from her last 5 starts and the most recent three races were in state-bred allowances. (5) Mercy Warren won three races in a row during the early winter at Churchill Downs and Fair Grounds and then ran against much tougher company.

4^th race [Md Sp Wt, 1 1/16 mi TURF] – (10) The Grumpy Rabbit (A) had a strong late run in her debut at Saratoga during the Stars and Stripes festival and finished third. (9) Connect the Stars madetwo starts already moving from a turf sprint to a mile and finished second last time ahead of the Hot List horse. (3) Hurricane Creek is a well-regarded 2-year-old that shows a pair of turf workouts in preparation. (2) Americathegreat was second in her debut at Churchill and then ran fourth in the Debutante.

5^th race [Clm 50000 N2L, 7F] – (4) Fortuna Mia drops into the softest spot of her career for a tag and the N2L condition after starts in stakes and allowances. (6) Kadena was a debut winner at Tampa in March for Chad Brown and then tried a pair of allowances. (5) Aunt Yola will move into a claimer for the first time and go from turf back to dirt. (2) She’s Complicated broke her maiden for a $30,000 tagand got claimed away from Bill Mott. She moved up and was taken again this time for $50,000 by Linda Rice.

7^th race [Hall of Fame (G2), 1 mi TURF] – (1) Zulu Kingdom won 6 out of 7 starts including his last three in stakes with the American Turf (G1) and the Manila (G3) for Chad Brown. His only loss was in the Breeders’ Cup as a 2-year-old. (8) Tank won three races in a row this year in a Florida-bred stakes at Tampa and two stakes at Gulfstream Park. Last time he was fourth in the Belmont Derby (G1) going longer. (2) Luther raced in England and France against Group 1 and 2 horses. He made his American debut in the Belmont Derby and was third. (5) Clever Again will make his first start on the turf after winning a stakes and then running in the Preakness. He has strong turf breeding on both sides of his pedigree.

Best bets: Fortuna Mia (5^th); Zulu Kingdom (7^th). Best value: Gone and Forgotten (3^rd); The Grumpy Rabbit (4^th).