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.

2^nd race [Alw 50000s, 6 ½ F] – (1) Forward Move is in top form for Linda Rice since moving from turf to dirt three races back at Aqueduct. (4) Beaver State broke his maiden at Laurel Park and missed another win by a nose moving up to a starter allowance. (5) Play returns from a May layoff when was second in a race similar to today’s spot. (3) Hatch was claimed from 5 out of his last 6 starts at Aqueduct and Saratoga. During that span of races, he won twice and was second two times.

3^rd race [OC 80k/N1X, 1mi] – (1) Uncle Jim and (1A) One Man Team are both win contenders after winning in their first starts. (2) Cyclone State made a big jump in speed figures when he broke his maiden in his sixth start. (6) My Mitole came back from a five-month layoff to get his first start in a maiden restricted by auction sales price. (4) Ican broke his maiden by more than six lengths at Horseshoe Indianapolis in October for hot trainer Rick Dutrow.

4^th race [OC 62k/N2X, 6 ½ F] – (5) El Grande O came back from a long layoff when he was prominent on the Aqueduct road to the 2024 Kentucky Derby and won a first level allowance while running with Lasix for the first time. (1A) Gun It runs for the claiming option to fit the conditions of this race. Three races back he was second behind Locked who is running in the Cigar Mile on Saturday. (3) Bramito won the first-level allowance three races back with a closing move. (6) Reddington won a starter allowance at Saratoga and then a first-level allowance at Aqueduct before running fifth in a race like today.

7^th race [OC 50k/N1X, 1 1/8 mi] – (5) Brown Suga Babe again ships from Parx for Jamie Ness as a winner of 3 out of her last 4 races with two of those wins in NY-bred allowances but remains eligible for the open company N1X allowance. (2) Stamp of Approval returned from a four month layoff to win a $75,000 maiden claimer. (6) Bernietakescharge won the second-level NY-bred allowance by more than six lengths. (4) Just Music was third at this level last time with a starter allowance victory in her prior start.

Best bets: LaPenta and Madaket entry (3^rd); El Grande O (4^th). Best value: Forward Mone (2^nd); Brown Suga Babe (7^th).