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 [NY, Md 25000, 7F] – (3) Joey the Fish ran his best race in his fifth start when he was second with a closing move on a sloppy track when dropped from a maiden special weight. (2) Ukrainian Princess broke poorly after banging into the gate and had to rally from last to finish third in his debut. (5) Maize Loved Laffy set the pace in his last start and is expected to do so against this field. (4) Super Slide fits in this low-level maiden claimer.

3^rd race [NY, Md Sp Wt, 6 ½ F] – (1) Vax pressed the pace in her last three starts to finish in the top three at this level and may have found the field to get that first win. (3) Sweet Liberty had the best race of her career last time when she earned her top speed figure and finished second. (2) Snowy Evening returns from a July layoff, moves from turf to dirt, and makes her first start for new trainer David Donk. (7) Good Accelebrate debuted at Laurel Park and now ships up to New York to face state-breds.

5^th race [OC 62k/N2X, 6F] – (1) Hydra won her last two starts moving from a starter allowance at Laurel to a $40,000 claimer at Aqueduct with closing moves which should serve her well in this field that should have a fast pace. (3) Rossa Veloce has a second and two wins in her last three races with the wins in the upper level NY-bred allowance and then an open company allowance. (5) Leeloo moved from top NY-bred racing to win a first-level open company allowance by more than four-lengths. (2) Shesalittle Edgy returns from a May layoff when she won at his level and was second in a starter allowance. She will use the claimer option to qualify for this level race.

8^th race [NY, Md 40000, 6F] – (3) East Coast Girl (B) tossed her head at the start, rushed up from last to get the lead, and finished fourth as probably the best horse in that race. (1) Tunnel Vision had a solid debut in a maiden special weight and now drops into the claiming ranks which should make him a serious contender. (5) Volcker Rules brings an extensive worktab with him in preparation for his first start. (2) Eternal Glory should benefit from his first start and gets blinkers on for a barn that is having a good winter meeting at the Big A.

Best bets:  Vax (3^rd); East Coast Girl (8^th). Best value: Joey the Fish (1^st); Hydra (5^th).