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 [Clm 25000 N2L, 1 mi] – (2) Steady Progress broke his maiden three races back and then moved up to N2L claimers to run second and then third going long. (3) I Love Cara had to steady at the start getting farther behind then usual but was still able to get up for a clear victory going the mile. (4) Youbetterbejoking was claimed by Linda Rice two races back from a second-place finish and finds a field lacking in speed which gives him a chance to get to the lead early. (7) Atlanta’s Acuna comes back from a November layoff and moves back to the Bruce Levine barn.

2^nd race [NY, OC 45k/N2X, 6F] – (5) Lady Mine (A) broke slowly and eventually finished second beaten by a neck. She had to race wide on a track that was favoring speed horses on the inside. (2) Sue Ellen Mishkin has been in fine form since August with four wins and a pair of thirds after getting claimed three times, most recently by Linda Rice. (1) Shinfull comes back from a June layoff and changes to the barn of Rice who has gaudy numbers for long layoffs and horses new to her barn. (4) Silken Dollar returns to NY-bred competition after three starts at Woodbine where she had an allowance win.

3^rd race [Clm 50000, 6F] – (5) It Takes Heart returns from a July layoff when he won a N3L claimer by almost 10 lengths and was claimed by Rob Falcone who has excellent numbers with long layoffs. (4) I’m Buzzy has won her last three starts with an excellent record at Aqueduct of 14: 6-1-1 and 5 wins out of 10 at the six-furlong distance. [(1) Dame Cinco/(1A) Everyoneloveslinda make a Rick Dutrow trained entry where both are win contenders. (2) Taming the Tigress drops into a claiming race for the first time.

7^th race [OC50k/SAL50k, 1 mi] – (6) Grace Reformed (B) closed to finish second on a speed favoring track in her first start of the year, gets blinkers on and a good pace scenario. (3) Run for Your Honey won her last two starts moving from a 12 length maiden victory to a first-level open-company allowance. (1) Next On Stage broke her maiden by seven lengths on the front-end last time. (2) Tiz Race Day won a $50,000 maiden claimer last time by more than five lengths.

Best bets: Lady Mine (2^nd); It Takes Heart (3^rd). Best value: Steady Progress (1^st); Grace Reformed (7^th).