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.

3^rd race [Clm 16000 N2L, 1 mi] – (2) Bravo Regina (D) was bet down from 6-1 to 4-1 in her second start following a long layoff. Keeping in mind that this field of six N2L claimers has 1 maiden win each with a combined 123 starts. (4) In Traffic was third in her most recent start last month at this level and the mile distance. (1) April Antics has a trio of top three finishes in her last four starts with very consistent speed figures. (3) Sweet Sensation has a chance to be part of the trifecta.

4^th race [NY, Md Sp Wt, 6F TURF] – (1) Electric Stuff (B) has a third and a second in his two career starts. He set the pace last time but ended up second behind a runaway winner but was well ahead of the rest. He will now try the turf in the first grass race of the year in New York. (6) Impulsive Spending (D) was bet down from 8-1 to 6-1 in his debut and was claimed. (8) Factually Correct made his first start on the turf in late October when the turf course would soon close and ran second after setting the pace. Since then he had a second and a third on the main track at Aqueduct. (3) Twenty Six Black made one start at Saratoga on the grass and finished third at 4-1 behind General Banker who is expected to run in the Wood Memorial on Saturday.

6^th race [Alw 82000 N1X, 1 mi TURF] – (8) Emboite will make his 2023 debut now that the grass courses are open. Last seen in October he was fifth at this level following a third and is likely to be on the lead. He will get a rider change to Jose Lezcano who is a great grass jockey. (1) Easter will make his fourth start in America for Graham Motion after racing in France to start his career. He finished fourth in the Man o’ War (G1) last spring. (7) Shutters won his last three starts for Chad Brown which were against NY-breds ending in September. (6) Constitutionlawyer returns in 2023 as a new gelding. His last five starts were on the grass in allowance and stakes company.

7^th race [Distaff Handicap (G3), 7F] – (4) Hydra (D) was claimed for $40,000 last time after getting bet down from 4-1 to 2-1. (2) Gerrymander returns from a September layoff as a past winner of the Mother Goose (G2) and the Tempted. (6) Rossa Veloce won 4 out of her last 5 starts at Aqueduct including the Correction last month by more than five lengths. (7) Funny How is another lover of the Big A where she won all five times that she ran there with two of them going seven furlongs.

Best bets:  Bravo Regina (3^rd); Electric Stuff (4^th). Best value:  Emboite (6^th); Hydra (7^th).