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.

1^st race [NY, Md Sp Wt, 7F] – (3) Vax has a pair of seconds in her last two starts after having wide trips both times. Last time she had the lead and fought gamely to lose at the wire. (4) Cairo Sugar ships up to New York from Parx to make her first start against NY-breds following a second at Parx going two-turns. The trainer has a win at Aqueduct in this meeting. (8) Marley’s Ghost was fourth in his debut at 11-1 odds for Michael Trombetta who trains out of Fair Hills in Maryland. (5) I’mhavingamoment was a $495,000 Uncle Mo yearling purchase making her debut with a series of impressive works for Bill Mott. She wouldn’t have to be that good to win in here.

2^nd race [NY, Alw 75000 N1X, 1 mi – (7) Juliana’s Rose had the best result and speed figure of her career when she had the lead and finished second on a muddy track last time. (2) Tough Street won her last two starts with an open-length maiden claiming score against state-breds followed by a three length victory in a starter allowance. (6) Mia Bia Star has three third-place finishes in a row following two seconds all at the Big A in the last two months. (5) Shadolamo was third at this level most recently after a very wide trip.

3^rd race [NY, Md 40000, 1 mi] – (6) West Star (D) broke last and improved his position to fourth for the Asmussen barn when bet down from 6-1 to 4-1 and was claimed. (3) Provision was second in his only start on the main track with four other races on the turf. (7) Who Me had his best finish and speed figure when he missed the win by a neck last month after a wide trip. (4) October Bliss faced a couple of strong maiden special weight fields and now drops in for a tag for the first time.

4^th race [OC 62k/N2X, 6F] – (4) In Dreams (B) went to his knees at the break of his first start following a nine month layoff. In his previous starts he raced on the lead. (7) Sheriff Bianco is riding a three-race winning streak going back to October when he won the first-level NY-bred allowance by almost 12 lengths then stepped up to take the next level and then two weeks ago won an open-company allowance. (8) Outlaw Kid was second in his first start on the dirt at this level since running four times on the grass. (6) Chateau comes back from a June layoff. With eight career wins and six of them at Aqueduct, he is a past graded-stakes winner.

Best bets:   Vax (1^st); Juliana’s Rose (2^nd). Best value:  West Star (3^rd); In Dreams (4^th)