Saratoga Hot List - July 20

Today’s NY Hot List races to watch – Wednesday, July 20, 2022 at Saratoga – Day 5
                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.

2^nd race [Clm 25000 N2L, 7F] – (4) Mariah’s Fortune won a maiden special weight and then tried a stake and two allowances before dropping into a N2L for Brad Cox for the first time. Last time she set the pace and finished second. (1) Evoking took a maiden special weight at first asking more than year ago at Belmont for Jonathan Thomas. (2) U Cant Handle This got her maiden victory for a $20,000 tag with a front-end effort. (6) Babyitsgoldoutside set the pace last time and ran third for Jeremiah Englehart who already has two wins at Saratoga. She will cut back in distance.

4^th race [NY, OC45k/N2X, 1 mi TURF] – (6) Instinctive (B) was eager in the early going and clipped heels heading into the first turn. Three races back she just missed the win at this level. (4) Home for Christmasreturned from a layoff to win the first-level allowance leading all the way for the Clement barn which has four wins already at this meeting. (1) Out of Sight is in outstanding form in all four of her starts this year. (2) Sweet Fanny Lu had a rough physical trip after winning her first-level allowance and had no chance to run her race.

7^th race [Md Sp Wt, 5½ F TURF] – (3) Hey There (C) was bet down from 8-1 to 5-1 for Brad Cox, went to the lead, and got caught at the wire. (4) Bali Dove was odds-on in both of her starts for Wesley Ward and set the pace at Monmouth Park to finish second. (2) Crowding Out returns from a September layoff for Chad Brown after three good starts last year including a second at Saratoga. (6) Mrs. Green has a pair of fourth-place finishes for Linda Rice that got speed figures as good as any horse in this race.

9^th race [NY, Suzie O’Cain, 1 1/16  mi TURF] – (5) She’s a Mia (B) was hard held in the early going of her most recent start, lost some ground, and still finished second for the Clement barn. (6) Dream Central was the winner of a NY Stallion Series races at Belmont for our friends at Eddie F’s Racing. (3) Lisa’s Vision won her second start last month and she was a heavy favorite in both races. (4) Classic Lynne ran her two best races on the turf last year including her maiden breaker. She has been off since October likely waiting for turf racing to return for this NY-bred.

Best bets:  Mariah’s Fortune (2^nd); She’s a Mia (9^th). Best value:  Instinctive (4^th); Hey There (7^th).