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.

1^st race [NY, Md Sp Wt, 1 mi] – (1) Mama’s Middie was second in his first career start when he rallied from last in July at Saratoga. In his second start blinkers went on and he increased speed figures. He comes back here as a new gelding. (7) Khadullah tried the turf last start and did not handle it. In her prior start he was second after setting the pace on a muddy track. (3) Wisecracker was the favorite in his debut at the Spa closing weekend for Linda Rice whose horses usually run better in their second race. (5) Arco Augusta should benefit from his first start in the same race as Wisecracker.

4^th race [Clm 14000B, 6F] – (7) Tommy Gun was a winner at Finger Lakes in an allowance after a second in a N2L for a $25,000 tag and drops into an appropriate spot. (2) Joking Way was claimed in Kentucky for $50,000 by Linda Rice and tried a $75,000 open claimer. (1) Moving Pictures won his N2L condition last time after six tries and moves to this spot which is a N3L. (5) Amani’s Eagle set the pace in a starter allowance and a $35,000 claimer in his last two and drops into the kind of race in which he was successful.

7^th race [Mdn 40000, 7F] – (2) Lucency (B) was fractious pre-race and then raced greenly in his debut at Saratoga in July against a strong field. Todd Pletcher puts the blinkers on for the second start. (3) Vodka Mardini returns from a February layoff and drops into a maiden claimer for the first time. He had three maiden special races that would make him a win contender for Linda Rice. (5) Aula was claimed two races back for $40,000 and ran third at Parx three weeks ago. (8) Screaming Uncle was claimed for $20,000 from a good second-place effort as the favorite at Saratoga.

8^th race [OC 62k/N2X, 1 ¼ mi] – (6) Costa Terra was overmatched in the Woodward (G2) last time but had a pair of seconds and a win in his prior starts. The win was at this race’s ten furlong distance in an allowance. (1) Tonal Impact was claimed last time for $62,500 and ran in the Suburban (G2) before that. He won two allowances at the top level at Belmont Park earlier in the year. (2) Good Skate goes from long-distance races on the turf to dirt at Aqueduct where he has a great record 12: 4-5-1. (5) Constitutionalawyer made a big improvement in his second start after a layoff.

Best bets:  Lucency (7^th); Costa Terra (8^th). Best value:  Mama’s Middie (1^st); Tommy Gun (4^th).