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 [Md Sp Wt, 1 mi] – (1) Systemic Change / (1A) Reserve Currency are part of a Chad Brown / Klaravich Stables entry where both horses are win contenders. (2) Mistical Curlin was second last time ahead of one of the horses from the entry. (3) Vodka Mardini set the pace and finished second in his recent start with a similar group of older horses. (4) Corton Charlemagne will return from an April layoff for the Clement barn and moves from turf to dirt while getting blinkers on.

2^nd race [Md 20000, 1 mi] – (2) Second and Reed ran second after dropping down to this maiden claiming level. (1) Home School ships to Aqueduct for trainer Lynn Cash and drops back to this $20,000 level at which he ran well several times. (5) Steady Progress caught wet, sealed tracks in his first two starts, drops back to this level, and is expected to get loose on the lead in this field that is lacking in any speed. (4) Star Attitude returned from a five month layoff to finish fourth and drops down to his lowest level.

5^th race [NY, Md 25000, 1 mi] – (1) Just a Nyquist made her first start after getting claimed in June, moved from turf to dirt, and finished third after a cut back to a sprint. Now she drops down a notch and moves back to the mile. (3) Flattering Gal has a pair of second-place finishes with the most recent in a $40,000 claimer. (5) Tonight We Love ran the best race of her career against open company when she was second.  (7) Spooky Lady dropped a notch, will drop once again, and is projected to be on the lead in this field that is void of speed early.

6^th race [Alw 50000s, 7F] – (4) Big Venezuela finished second after cutting back to the seven furlongs after pressing the pace. She should get to the lead in here. (2) Buckingham Prince got claimed for $50,000 at Saratoga after running third and makes his first start for the new trainer as a new gelding with blinkers on. He has a class edge over many of the others in this race. (1) Lord Gatling beat a horse that came back to win his next start in a $50,000 claimer and then raced wide at this starter allowance condition. (7) Drink the Wind will make his first start for Linda Rice after getting claimed for $40,000 in a race where he pressed the pace and got third.

Best bets:  Brown entry (1^st); Just a Nyquist (5^th). Best value: Second and Reed (2^nd); Big Venezuela (6^th).