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.

7^th race [The Frizette (G1), 1 mi] – (1) Snowyte (B) set the pace in her first start and got caught nearing the wire at 5-2 last month at Saratoga. Blinkers go on. (7) Another Cleeshay (A) tossed her head at the start of her debut at Saratoga but still won an auction price restricted maiden by open lengths at 5-1. (9) Social Fortress won her first two races by a combined 18 lengths in a Delaware Park maiden and then the Sorority at Monmouth Park. (2) The Queens M G did not appreciate the muddy and sealed track at Saratoga in August but before that she was the winner of the Adirondack (G3).

8^th race [The Champagne (G1), 1 mi] – (6) Vekoma Rules (A) won his debut at Aqueduct three weeks ago by five lengths at 4-1 for a trainer that is doing well at this meeting. Vekoma Rules is one of six impressive debut winners in the field. (10) Chancer McPatrick is one of two graded stakes winners in this field and the only Grade 1 winner which happened in the Hopeful (G1) at Saratoga. The horse that finished second will be one of the favorites in the Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland. Trainer Chad Brown won the Champagne four times since 2016. (2) Tip Top Thomas won his first start for Todd Pletcher at Saratoga as the 2-1 favorite when he pressed the pace and won a stretch duel by a head. Pletcher also has four victories in this race. Irad Ortiz opted to stay on this guy after riding Uncaged first time out also.  (5) Uncaged is the “other” Pletcher and will come with better odds than his stablemate. He was also a maiden winner during the Saratoga meeting.

9^th race [OC35k/SAL, 1 1/16 mi TURF] – (9) Barnstorming (A) had to checked badly early in his last race and then finished third as part of a blanket finish. (3) Transactional was a winner for a $50,000 tag in his second start which came after a very long layoff. (6) Nostalgic One won two races in a row to start his 2024 campaign when he broke his maiden and then won a $30,000 claimer. (4) Funny Uncle was a winner for $50,000 in July at Saratoga when he moved back to the turf and was claimed by Mike Maker.

10^th race [NY, Md Sp Wt), 6 ½ F] – (2) Endless Vow (B) was second in her debut at Saratoga at 5-1 even though the jockey lost his crop and was well clear of the rest of the field. (3) Off Script finished second in both of her starts at Saratoga as a heavy favorite for Chad Brown. (1) Usha ships from California where she finished in the top three in three races at Del Mar for Bob Baffert. (8) Amelia will debut for trainer David Carlos who has excellent results with firsters.

Best bets:  Snowyte (7^th); Vekoma Rules (8^th). Best value: Barnstorming (9^th) Endless Vow (10^th).

Saturday Pick 3 Special --
Saturday Special $1 Pick 3 covers races 7-9 including the Frizette (G1) and the Champagne (G1)  à 1, 7 with 2, 5, 6, 10 with 3, 6, 9 = $24.