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.

5^th race [Md Sp Wt, 1 1/16 mi TURF] – (1) Grayosh was third in her debut on the Gulfstream Park turf for Chad Brown and then lost his rider after clipping heels last month as the favorite. (8) Wish List was second in her debut back in 2022 and came back after a year off to race twice last in 2023. He’s been training at Belmont Park for his return. (9) Blue Thunder made her first two starts in France last year. (5) Chantilly Road will move from dirt to turf for Brown after two races where she was well supported both times.

6^th race [Alw 50000s, 7F] – (1) Independent Paul (B) got taken up at the start, got into contention fairly quickly, and finished second. (4) Clubhouse was first or second in his last three starts including twice at this level. (7) Leonids returns from a July layoff and moves to the barn of Linda Rice and that alone makes this guy dangerous. (2) Warrior Richard comes back from an October layoff and changes to trainer David Donk. Last seen, he ran well at this starter allowance level.

7^th race [OC 62k/N2X, 1 mi] – (5) Blazing Sevens won the Champagne (G1) and was beaten by just a nose in the 2023 Preakness. He was off since running third in the Curlin at Saratoga in July. (3) Artorius is also trained by Chad Brown and won the Curlin in 2022. He started twice last summer and was fourth in the Salvator Mile (G3) at Monmouth Park. (1) Power Seeker and (1A) Lord Captain both exit excellent performances for Linda Rice. (4) Ournationonparade won an allowance at Laurel in February and has plenty of stakes experience.

8^th race [Danger’s Hour, 1 mi TURF] – (3) Spirit of St Louis will make his 2024 debut after so much success racing against NY-breds. He won 4 out of his last 5 starts including a pair of state-bred stakes on the grass for Chad Brown. (1) Masen is a graded stakes winner in the Poker (G3) and in November was third in the Artie Schiller at Aqueduct. He started once in January in Florida also for Brown. (2) Tidal Forces won twice on the Tapeta track at Gulfstream this winter and then stepped up to run in the Appleton on the Turf where he had the lead in the stretch and then ended up third in a blanket finish. (6) Pioneering Spirit will make his first start of the year with plenty of turf victories showing in his past performances including the Bernard Baruch at Saratoga.

Best bets: Grayosh (5^th); Blazing Sevens (7^th). Best value: Independent Paul (6^th); Spirit of St Louis (8^th).

Saturday Pick 3 Special --
The Saturday Special $1 Pick 3 covers races 6-8 which includes the Danger’s Hour à 1, 4, 7 with 3, 5 with 1, 2, 3, 6 = $24.