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.

5^th race [Clm 32000, 7F] – (2) Inspeightoftrainer was a winner for Linda Rice last time in a starter allowance and now cuts back from a mile making his first start in an open claimer. (4) Valenzan Day was claimed for $25,000 from a victory and moves to the barn of a trainer who has good stats with a limited number of newly claimed horses. (7) Bad Water gets blinkers on for his second start for the Atras barn which is still hot as the Aqueduct meetings continue. (1) Outlaw Country already has a recent victory at this claiming level.

6^th race [NY, Alw 72000 N1X, 6 ½ F] – (5) Try It Again has early speed that she has used to get a a pair of seconds by a head and a neck in her last two starts. (4) Meraviglioso drops back to a more appropriate level where last seen she ran third and gets a rider upgrade. (1) Liberty Flame was claimed for $25,000 from an easy victory in her 2023 debut against open company. (3) Royal Currency has four top three finishes in a row at this allowance level.

8^th race [NY, Stallion Series, 6 ½ F] – (8) Our Rosie Diamonds (B) had a wide trip, finished second, and got claimed for the second time in a row in races against open company. (4) Les Bon Temps has been in great form for Linda Rice with five top three finishes in NY-bred stakes in a row including two victories. (6) Midtown Lights won a state-bred allowance in his second start of the year. (7) Maggie T was claimed for $50,000 by Linda Rice two races back and returned to win a starter allowance by four lengths on the front-end.

9^th race [NY, Md 40000, 6F] – (8) Blue Plate Special was a 5-2 favorite in his debut for Brad Cox on a muddy track three weeks ago where he showed some speed and now drops into a claimer. (3) Forty One Tales also makes the drop to a maiden claimer after his first race where he got taken up after a bumpy start. (5) Eight and Sand moved back to this level last time and had a second-place finish. (7) Messi the Magician will make his debut for a trainer that has excellent results with firsters in maiden claimers.

Best bets: Try It Again (6^th): Blue Plate Special (9^th). Best value: Inspeightoftrainer (5^th); Our Rosie Diamonds (8^th).