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.

2^nd race [OC50k/SAL50k, 6F] – (5) Curlins Choir was claimed for $32,000 after she won her second start with a front-end effort. (1) Lady Shylock has a third and a second in this type of starter allowance after winning her debut in a $30,000 maiden claimer. (3) Dreamawayseven was a debut winner by more than six lengths at 4-1 in a $40,000 maiden claimer at Aqueduct just two weeks ago. (6) Honest Banker was a NY-bred winner for a $40,000 tag in her first career start in December by more than five lengths.

5^th race [Clm 25000 N3L, 1 mi] – (5) Rhubarb Martini (B) came back from a long layoff, lost footing at the break, got to the lead, and finished third. (1) Patty Cakes ships to Aqueduct for the first time after winning the N2L condition at Laurel in her second start following a layoff. (2) Simple Sugar set the pace in a similar spot last time and ended up third. (6) Anatolian returns from a July layoff for trainer Mike Maker, makes a big drop in class, as she tries the dirt for the first time.

6^th race [Clm 40000, 1 mi] – (1) Famished drops back to this claiming level at which he was a winner in January with a closing move. A fast pace is expected which fits his preferred running style. (4) Glory Road was a winner in a $32,000 open claimer two races back. He has as a great record at Aqueduct with four wins and two of them are going a mile. (7) Gulfstream Way won a first-level allowance two races ago with a front-end effort. (5) Empty Tomb will drop into this claiming level for the first time since running in stakes with a second at the Big A in the Queens County.

8^th race [NY, Md 25000, 6F] – (7) Reunion Tour has a series of top three finishes at this level and he may have found the right maiden claiming field to finally get a victory. (6) Stellwagen Banker ships up from Maryland to try this low-level maiden claimer against NY-breds for the first time. (8) Go Get the Bag will make his debut for a trainer that had had some success making this move. (5) Iron Horizon flashed some speed in his first career start at odds of 7-1 and now gets blinkers on and Lasix.

Best bets:  Curlins Choir (2^nd); Reunion Tour (8^th). Best value:  Rhubarb Martini (5^th); Famished (6^th).