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.

4^th race [NY, Alw 72000, 1 mi] – (1) Horse Be With You has three straight second-place finishes at this allowance level and each time set the pace. He will cut back to the one-turn mile distance. (2) Safalow’s Mission is a veteran of this level state-bred races with six top three finishes for Linda Rice. Although a win may not be the expected result another trifecta finish is likely as red hot jockey Jose Lezcano stays on board. (6) Flips’ Dream was a more then three-length winner of the NY-bred maiden special weight three weeks ago with a stalking trip. (4) Friday I’m in Love was a front-end winner of a maiden claimer last month.

6^th race [Clm 40000, 7F] – (5) Gentleman Joe has recent performances that make him look like the fastest horse in the field. Two races back he won a starter allowance last month going a mile. (7) Dangerous Ride raced in allowance company at Gulfstream Park in his last three starts. He was a winner in February and drops back into a claimer which should be ideal. (4) Mr Bob won at the last restricted claimer level in March. (6) Lafitte’s Fleet won a claimer like this one at Saratoga last summer.

7^th race [NY, Md Sp Wt, 1 mi] – (3) Palace Boss (A) was last early and then tried to close while racing wide on a track that was favoring speed on the inside paths. (2) Aelfgar ran a pair of improved maiden races but tried a state-bred stakes race last time and finished third after breaking a bit slowly. (1) Sorority Prank dropped into a maiden claimer and went a mile for the first time, finished second, and got claimed. (4). Bob John Ray went off at 2-1 in his debut for Chad Brown. He broke last in a 10 horse field, got forced out twice, and finished third. Blinkers go on.

8^th race [Clm 12500, 6F] – (3) Anything Pazible (C) was bet down from 16-1 to 9-1 and rallied from sixth and last to finish second. (1) Colonel Vargo won his last three starts moving up the ladder from $10,000, to today’s level, and then a starter allowance. (4) Motion to Strike has been racing well in starter allowances at Fair Grounds and is a past winner at Aqueduct. (7) Mr Phil dropped back to this level and ran a much improved third.

Best bets: Horse Be With You (4^th); Gentleman Joe (6^th). Best value: Palace Boss (7^th); Anything Pazible (8^th).

Saturday Pick 3 Special --
The Saturday Special $1 Pick 3 covers races 6-8 à 4, 5, 7 with 1, 2, 3, 4 with 1, 3 = $24.