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 40000, 6F] – (5) Balentina gets blinkers on for her third start which will be the first time that she runs in a maiden claimer and is expected to be able to set the pace. (4) Graceful gets first-time Lasix after a short layoff when she rallied for second in the best start of her career. (6) Bella Cosa was 4-1 in her first race of the year as she moved from turf to dirt for the third start of her career. (2) Herecomes Scarlett take the blinkers off for her third start after going off at 7-1 in her debut race at Aqueduct in December.

6^th race [NY, OC 50k/N1X, 1 mi] – (4) Midtown Lights has a pair of seconds in a NY-bred allowance and stakes race after breaking her maiden at the Big A all one wet tracks. Her closing style fits well in this race which may have a fast pace. (7) I’mhavingamoment broke her maiden at first asking, then was fourth in a state-bred stake for Bill Mott, and now gets Lasix and blinkers. (1) Luna Loca is one of the horses that may be part of that expected fast pace. She won an allowance after a maiden claiming victory. (6) Monroe was a debut winner for Todd Pletcher at odds of .25-1 when she drew off to win by more than six lengths and might be the one that is in the lead out of the gate.

7^th race [OC 62k/N2X, 1 mi] – (6) Pharoah’s Heart (C) returned from a short layoff, was bet down from 7-1 to 5-1, and won an allowance by almost four lengths. (3) Mommasgottarun gets blinkers on after running second between two horses that came back to win their next starts when she had to steady during a wide trip. (4) Honey Money moves to this open company allowance after an allowance win and a stakes race against NY-breds. She runs for the red-hot Rob Atras barn. (1) Toned Up was claimed for $45,000 last start when she was third behind the top choice.

8^th race [NY, Md Sp Wt, 6F] – (4) On the Ledge was on the lead, continued to press the pace, and eventually finished in second in his second start. (5) Ten Cent Town was second in his only two starts which were early in the summer at Belmont Park and Saratoga for Bill Morey and is projected to be on the lead. (1) Empire Sky has several close maiden finishes as he makes just his second start on the dirt after a third in January at Aqueduct. (2) Scherzando comes back from an almost year layoff as a new gelding for Steve Byk’s Dee Tee Stables. Last seen he was second by a neck at Belmont.

Best bets:  Balentina (1^st); Midtown Lights (6^th). Best value:  Pharoah’s Heart (7^th); On the Ledge (8^th).