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.

5^th race [Alw 50000s, 1 mi] – (3) Afjan (C) was bet down from 9-1 to 7-1, finished third in a $40,000 N2L claimer, and was taken by Tom Morley who wins with 23% of his newly claimed horses. (2) Swift Tap won his last two starts at Aqueduct for $25,000 and was taken from his December victory by Michelle Nevin. (1) Complete Agenda was second last time out and was claimed by Linda Rice whose barn is having a great winter meeting. (4) Fromanothamutha won a N2L claimer last time for Ray Handal and is expected to get loose on the lead against this field.

8^th race [Jerome, 1 mi] – (1) Neural Network (A) was an impressive debut winner for Chad Brown and Klaravich Stables in a NY-bred maiden special weight where he sat a stalking trip and drew off to win by five lengths at 5-1. A fast pace is expected which should be to the advantage of Neural Network as he goes an added furlong in this one-turn mile. (6) Arctic Arrogance (A) was also a first-time winner of a NY-bred maiden but he went on to finish second and then first in state-bred stakes. He won at a mile in the Sleepy Hollow and then set the pace in the Remsen (G2) and was beaten by a half-length going two-turns at Aqueduct earning four Kentucky Derby qualifying points. (4) Lugan Knight ships to New York from Kentucky for trainer Michael McCarthy. He broke his maiden in his second try at Keeneland and then was third in an allowance at Churchill Downs behind the horse that won the Smarty Jones on the Derby trail. (5) Andiamo a Firenze is projected to be on the lead once again from which he broke his maiden and won the Funny Cide at Saratoga. The mile distance is going to test his stamina.

9^th race [Queens County, 1 1/8 mi] – (9) Bourbonic (B) returned to the races following a year layoff in a sprint on a sloppy and sealed track and finished fourth. He now stretches out to a more suitable distance for this horse that won the 2021 Wood Memorial at 72-1. (11) Double Crown is the winner of the Kelso (G2) at Aqueduct in October and that gives him an edge over most of this field. (8) Eloquist won his last three starts including the Discovery at the Big A on the front-end going nine-furlongs. (7) Law Professor was second behind Life Is Good in the Woodward (G1) at Saratoga and then was fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1).

10^th race [Alw 82000 N1X, 7F] – (9) Dame Cinco won a starter allowance by seven lengths in her first start after being claimed for $32,000 by the red-hot barn of Rob Atras. (1) Funny How won her last three races and moved through the NY-bred allowance conditions leaving her still eligible for allowances against open company. (3) Captainsdaughter won the second-level allowance last time for her second win at Aqueduct this year. (10) Hot Fudge returns from a long layoff following a promising 2-year-old campaign where she ran in the Frizette (G1) and was second in turf sprint stakes race.

Best bets: Neural Network (8^th); Dame Cinco (10^th). Best value: Afjan (3^rd); Bourbonic (9^th).

Saturday Pick 3 Special --
The Saturday Special $1 Pick 3 covers races 8-10  à 1, 4, 6 with 7, 8, 9, 11 with 1, 3, 9 = $36.