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.

3^rd race [NY, Md Sp Wt, 1 mi] – (1) Russian Realm (B) was sent off at 9-2 in his debut where he rallied from far back in last to finish third beaten by just two lengths. (8) Palace Boss returned from a three-month layoff to run his best race when he pressed the pace and finished second. (5) Iron Man Ira stretched out to a mile, set the pace, and was second last month. (4) Forgone is an interesting first-time starter that sold for $600,000 as a yearling and shows two bullet works.

5^th race [OC35k/SAL35K, 6F TURF] – (6) P Money (A) was impeded and lost all momentum at the eighth pole and finished fourth. (1) Borletti (B) got bumped, pinched back, and checked at the start and then rallied six-wide to finish fourth. (8) Showdown King was claimed for $50,000 at Turfway Park by Linda Rice as a horse that she wanted to move onto the turf. (10) Power Attack was a winner for a $50,000 tag at Gulfstream Park on their Tapeta track. He was stakes-placed at Monmouth as a 2-year-old.

6^th race [Peter Pan (G3), 1 1/8 mi] – (2) Unique Insight (A) had a very fast victory on the front-end last time in a first level allowance and trainer Chad Brown will take a chance in this graded-stakes race. (3) The Wine Steward won his first three starts last year beginning with a NY-bred maiden by six lengths, then won the Bashford Manor which was run at Ellis Park, and the Funny Cide at Saratoga against state-breds. He was then second in a pair of Derby trail races – the Breeders’ Futurity (G1) and the Lexington (G3). He is a fresh horse after seven months rest before his 2024 debut. (7) Deterministic was an impressive winner of his first two starts which included the Gotham (G3). Then in the Wood Memorial (G2) he did very little running, but he has trained well since that Derby prep. (8) Native Land won his last two starts with a maiden at Oaklawn and an allowance at Keeneland. He ships up from Kentucky for Riley Mott.

8^th race [NY, Md Sp Wt, 6F] – (4) Mulkey (B) finished second in her first start as the heavy favorite well ahead of the rest of the field. The winner came back to take an allowance race in her next start. (3) Granadilla set the pace in her 2024 debut and finished second. (8) Eastern Star hit the board in her last four starts. (2) Inflammabelle made two starts this year and last time set the pace and finished fourth.

Best bets:  Russian Realm (3^rd); Mulkey (8^th). Best value: P Money (5^th); Unique Insight (6^th).

Saturday Pick 3 Special --
The Saturday Special $1 Pick 3 covers races 4-6 and includes the Runhappy (G3) à 1, 4, 6 with 1, 6, 8, 10 with 2, 3, 7 = $36.