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.

1^st race [NY, OC 45k/N2X, 6 ½ F] – (4) Vettriano broke his maiden and won an allowance against NY-breds for Brad Cox and then was outclassed in the Jerkens (G1) in August. (3) Excellent Timing enters for the $45,000 claiming option having won an open claimer for a $32,000 tag. (5) Aggelos the Great comes back as a new gelding with a few top three finishes in NY-bred stakes. (6) Whatchatalkinabout returns from a year layoff for Wesley Ward and was last seen winning a New York Breeders Futurity stakes.

2^nd race [Clm 10000, 6 ½ F] – (8) Super Chief drops down to the lowest level of his career with a victory in a $14,000 N3L claimer at Saratoga. His last two starts were for a $25,000 tag. (6) Jake Rocks was second last time in a $12,500 claimer at Aqueduct in September. (1) High Heat finished in the top three in his past three races. (3) Beach Boy Al was a winner in his second start after a layoff for an $11,000 claiming price.

4^th race [Clm 16000 N2L, 6F] – (2) You’re Forever (B) stumbled at the break, ran second most of the way, and finished well clear of the rest of the field. (4) Violets Smile gets blinkers on and ships to Aqueduct from Monmouth Park for a trainer that does well in New York. (7) Find Your Joy won a maiden special weight at Finger Lakes and will try a N2L claimer for the first time. (5) Accelerina was competitive in a pair of N2L conditioned races.                                                                                                                                         

6^th race [NY, Md Sp Wt, 1 mi] – (4) Hit the Post was third as the 5-2 favorite in his September start. (5) Corvus ran fourth last time getting a speed figure that tops this field. (9) Solo Mio debuted on the turf and should appreciate the change to the main track. (1) Solar Glare was sent off at 7-1 for his first start which was at Saratoga and ran fourth.

Best bets: Vettriano (1^st); Hit the Post (6^th). Best value: Super Chief (2^nd); You’re Forever (4^th).