Today’s NY Hot List races to watch – Sunday, August 10, 2025 at Saratoga (Day 24)
                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.

1^st race [Md Sp Wt, 1 mi] – (1A) Worthy Charge (A) lunged at the start of his debut then rallied for third against a strong field on a speed favoring track. (4) Chillax (B) shied away from the winner’s crop in the stretch and finished second as the favorite. Blinkers go on. (7) Momentum Files (A) stumbled at the break following a winter layoff but moved close to the front, then dropped back, only to rally to finish third beaten by just a neck. (3) Fun to Tap was last seen in November at Aqueduct running second in his second career start and gets first-time Lasix now.

2^nd race [Clm 30000 N3L, 1 1/8 mi] – (1) Le Gris makes a big drop in class to run for a tag and in a restricted condition for the first time in his career. He raced in allowances and stakes with only one start that did not pick up a check. (6) Leftembehind will also make the move into the claiming ranks with a win in a NY-bred allowance to his credit. (2) Mr. Ripple won an allowance at Finger Lakes last month following a three-month layoff. In 2023 he finished fourth in the Florida Derby (G1). (7) Who’s the King was a clear front-end winner of the N2L condition as an odds-on favorite and got claimed.

4^th race [Md Sp Wt, 1 1/16 mi TURF] – (5) Final Score (A) made his debut in a race that was meant for the turf, broke inward, dropped back, and rallied for second in a sprint. (6) Positive Equity makes his debut for a trainer that is having a strong meeting with debut 2-year-olds. He sold for $100,000 by a stallion with a $5,000 fee. (4) Epic Desire was second last month in a race that came off the turf. (7) Time to Strike shows a recent turf workout following a fourth-place finish at 8-1 in his first start at Saratoga in July.

9^th race [Mahoney, 5 ½ F TURF] – (9) Governor Sam won the Quick Call at Saratoga last month. He also won three stakes last year and was third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint. (3) Saturday Flirt won 3 out of 4 starts for Wesley Ward including the Soaring Softly at the Spa in June. His only loss was during his trip to Royal Ascot where he dwelt in the starting gate. (5) Ortley Avenue was second in a pair of turf sprint stakes in his last two starts. (8) Gabaldon broke his maiden in a stakes race at Gulfstream Park and then finished second at Royal Ascot. He was last seen in March running third in a stakes at that Florida track.

Best bets: Worthy Charge (1^st); Governor Sam (9^th). Best value: Le Gris (2^nd); Final Score (4^th).