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.

2^nd race [OC 62k/N2X, 6F] – (1) Spun and Won (B) got blocked early, got to the lead, and finished third. He now drops in for a tag to a level at which he last was a winner. (3X) Mandatory will go for his fourth victory in a row after winning the first-level allowance last time. (2B) Emerald Forest finished in the top three in 5 out of his last 6 starts. He was a high-priced claim twice since February. (4) Subrogate made his 2024 debut a winning one by a head last month in an Aqueduct allowance.

3^rd race [OC50K/SAL50K, 6F] – (5) Snappin Buttons (C) was bet down from 9-2 to 2-1, got bumped around, had the lead, and missed the win by a neck. (6) Don’t Listen was third in a similar spot last month in what was her first race of the year. (4) Low Society was a winner at this level three races back by almost five lengths and then stepped up to a stakes race and an allowance. (3) Progeny also was a winner of this kind of starter allowance but then was eased in an allowance at Laurel a month ago.

4^th race [Clm 25000 N2L, 1 mi] – (4) Fighting Back will drop down from a starter allowance which was his first start of the year. He was claimed from his maiden $50,000 victory by Linda Rice to finish his racing in 2023. (7) Wanna Winna will drop down from a pair of $40,000 claimers where he did run second. (5) Refuah was third last time behind Wanna Winna. (1) Bobby the Tank has shown early speed and figures to be part of a fast pace in this one-mile race.

5^th race [OC35K/SAL35K] – (2) Pentagon (B) raced in an allowance in September and finished third after getting taken up in the first turn. He comes back from a winter layoff with the return of turf racing. (8) Crimson Princess spent the winter at Gulfstream Park and hit the board in her last three starts including a third in a starter allowance. (6) Silent Melody broke her maiden for a $35,000 tag last month in her first start of the year at Gulfstream. (10) Diamond Status will make her first start of the year and was a maiden winner in a $75,000 claimer.

Best bets: Spun and Won (2^nd); Snappin Buttons (3^rd). Best value: Fighting Back (4^th); Pentagon (5^th).