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 [Md 40000, 1 mi] – (2) Conniving (B) rallied eight-wide from last to second on a muddy and sealed track and gets first-time Lasix. (6) Cool Operator will run for a tag for the first time, gets blinkers on, and is projected to get loose on the lead. (5) Bounteous ran in a claimer for the first time last month and now drops down another notch. (4) Allegrini set the pace last time going a mile and has a chance to be close to the pace.

4^th race [NY, Md Sp Wt, 6F] – (3) Sandy Sweet Tooth ran third for the entire race when he made his debut last month at a short price as part of a Rick Dutrow entry. (4) Z Dancer finished second two races back going seven furlongs and cuts back from a mile. (1) Barron’s Bounce made a jump in speed figures in his second start. (6) Wo Hop will make his debut for Bill Mott after training in New York.

5^th race [Clm 25000 N2L, 6 ½ F] – (3) Perliano will drop into a claimer for the first time after winning a maiden special weight and then racing a stakes and allowances. (2) Royal King came back last month from a long layoff, set the pace, finished fourth, and got claimed. He has past races that would beat this field. (5) Game Misconduct broke his maiden for a $40,000 tag and then was overmatched in a pair of starter allowances. (7) Midnight Express broke his maiden after almost a year layoff and the stepped up to a tougher claimer against winners.

6^th race [NY, OC 45k/N2X, 7F] – (4) Silken Dollar (B) had a rough break as the favorite and then had to steady at the half-mile pole. (1) Racing Colors has four top three finishes in a row moving up through the NY-bred allowances ranks. (2) Tempermental has six top three finishes in a run including last time when was claimed from a $25,000 state-bred race. (7) True Empress won the first-level allowance and then was a close second in the next level after a bad stumble at the start.

Best bets: Sandy Sweet Tooth (4^th); Perliano (5^th). Best value: Conniving (3^rd); Silken Dollar (6^th).