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 [Md 75000, 1 mi TURF] – (1) Cant Keep Me Down will make her first start of the year after one race at Saratoga at 6-1 where she was difficult trying to get into the starting gate. (5) Diamond Status made two starts this year with a marked improvement when she stretched out to a distance of ground. (7) Tap It Up had the best race of her career when she had the lead in the stretch and came up a nose short of the win. (4) Volatility has consistent speed figures in all of her starts and now drops in for a tag for the first time.

6^th race [OC 62k/N1X, 1 1/8 mi TURF] – (3) Love Me Not won at this level in March at Tampa Bay Downs but qualifies again because the purse money was low. Trainer Gregg Sacco’s barn is red hot right now as he ships in from Monmouth Park. (4) Mondego broke his maiden last month at Belmont Park with the highest speed figure in the field. (1) Regal Kingdom won twice at Fair Grounds, then moved to the barn of Graham Motion, and finished fourth in a stakes race at Aqueduct. (9) Clever Thought broke his maiden at Gulfstream Park for Todd Pletcher at short odds and then had a difficult trip against winners at Keeneland.

7^th race [Clm 20000, 1 mi] – (8) Captivating Cara was second in a NY-bred allowance, had two wins in past claiming races, and gets blinkers on. (5) Its Cold in Dehere was last seen winning at today’s level at Aqueduct in March in her first start after getting claimed. (2) Vallarand gets Manny Franco back on board and he rode this mare to her last victory. (1) Thisladyis the Law will make her first start of 2023 after racing at Presque Isle last year for a different trainer.

9^th race [Md Sp Wt, 1 3/8 mi TURF] – (2) Equal Protection (A) lacked room, closed well once he got clear, and now gets blinkers on and Flavien Prat in the saddle. (9) Smart Uncle was second in his debut at 9-2 just a week ago at Horseshoe Indiana for trainer Jonathan Thomas who rarely brings horses back on short rest. (6) Typhoon Lagoon missed breaking his maiden by a nose in March at Tampa and has raced long distances before. (1) Just So will make his second turf start for Chad Brown after racing at Keeneland last time. Irad gets on board and the Brown / Irad team wins at 38%.

Best bets: Cant Keep Me Down (2^nd); Equal Protection (9^th). Best value: Love Me Not (6^th); Captivating Cara (7^th).