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.

1^st race [Md Sp Wt, 1 mi] – (3) Cuando (B) was sent off at 5-2 in his debut last month and finished second well clear of the rest of the eight horse field. (6) Sardis made his first start in November and then came back two months later to make a big improvement in speed figures while getting to the lead and ending up second. (5) Reasoned Analysis started twice last year for Chad Brown, went off at 7-2 in December and showed more speed going long. He gets first-time Lasix. (2) Armor of Catclaw is a son of Mitole making his first start with a steady work tab showing.

6^th race [NY, Md Sp Wt, 6½ F] – (10) Aelfgar (A) broke last in his debut three weeks ago, raced greenly, and tried to rally wide on an inside favoring track. (8) Heavyweight Champs was moved up to second in his debut which was in a NY Stallion Series stakes race and went off as a heavy favorite in his second start where he again set the pace. (5) Slow Down Big Andy will debut for Bruce Levine who has been winning at 36% with his first-time starters. (6) Bob John Ray will make his first start for Chad Brown. He trained in Florida since November and then shipped up to Belmont for a pair of works.

8^th race [NY, Gander, 1 mi] – (3) Brown Don’t Stop (C) was bet down from 10-1 to 8-1 in his first race against winners and finished third. (2) Doc Sullivan won his last two starts with a maiden win at Aqueduct in December and then an allowance last month by seven lengths going the mile which earned the highest speed figure in this race. (1) The Big Torpedo was third in that Stallion Series race and came back as the odds-on favorite to break his maiden by 10 lengths last month. (6) Liberty Central broke his maiden in his fifth try by almost nine lengths.

9^th race [Md 20000, 1 mi] – (1) Rock Star Boy (B) came back from a six month layoff for his third race where he lunged out of the gate and then stumbled. He got to the lead but then faded to third and got claimed for $40,000 by Linda Rice. (7) My Man Woody finished second earlier in the month and got his best speed figure. (3) Badge of War made two starts last year on the turf at Horseshoe Indiana for Brad Cos and shows up here for a new trainer with Lasix for the first time. (10) Rossington was third for a $50,000 tag two races back and then tried a maiden special weight.

Best bets: Cuando (1^st); Rock Star Boy (9^th). Best value: Aelfgar (6^th); Brown Don’t Stop (8^th).