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 20000, 6F] – (1) Creation of Adam (A) made his debut at Saratoga where he had the lead, finished second by a nose but was well ahead of the rest, and got claimed. (3) Grand Again will make his third start after a layoff with a second and a third and improved speed figures. He is projected to be on the lead. (5) Sondsliksomdiniddo made his first start in a maiden special weight at Saratoga in a turf sprint and lost all chance after he broke through the gate and then jumped after the break. (2) Pine Alley flashed some speed after a five month layoff.

4^th race [OC 50k/N1X, 1 mi] – (3) Coppa Girl (B) has a pair of seconds after a short layoff with speed figures that top this field. Last time she set the pace, ended up second far ahead of the rest of the field, and cuts back to a better distance. (1) Whistler’s Style has two wins in her last three starts in a starter allowance and an out-of-town allowance. (6) Pharoah’s Heart has been off since June and enters this field for the optional claimer price. (5) Mursal was a winner of a starter allowance two races back and was third in a higher level allowance.

8^th race [NY, Franklin Square, 6 ½ F] – (8) Unicorn Cake (C) had to alter course after getting bet down from 6-1 to 4-1 and then finished third. (6) My Mane Squeeze was the winner of a NY-bred stakes race when last seen in October. A fast pace is expected which should set up her late running style. (3) Tricky Temper won the Key Cents for state-breds in November beating three horses that are in this field. (7) Bernietakescharge won an allowance in her second start following a layoff.

9^th race [NY, Md 25000, 6F] – (5) Arco Augusta came back from a short layoff and dropped into the claiming ranks to set the pace going a mile. (6) Drinking Solo was second two races back against open company. (3) The Delaware Boyz was well bet in both starts and now gets first-time Lasix and the blinkers come off. (9) Financial District ships up to Aqueduct from Parx Racing to face NY-breds for the first time after 11 days between races.

Best bets: Creation of Adam (1^st); Coppa Girl (4^th). Best Value: Unicorn Cake (8^th); Arco Augusta (9^th).