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 40000, 6 ½ F] – (7) Ride Up drops down to a maiden claimer for the first time and cuts back to sprinting with some top three finishes showing. (3) Assertive Attitude makes his 2023 debut as a new gelding after one race as a juvenile when he finished second after pressing the pace at Aqueduct. (2) Sippican Shop broke last in a field of 12 in his debut at Churchill Downs in May and finished fifth behind two horses that came back to win their next starts. (1) Mo Than Luck returns from a March layoff as a new gelding.

2^nd race [OC 62k/N2X, 1 mi TURF] – (5) Pleasant Passage (A) got caught in tight quarters and finished third once clear in his second start following a layoff. (4) Not So Close made his turf debut last time at Ellis Park, set the pace, and finished second. (1) Chili Flag was a winner for Chad Brown in his third American start which was at Belmont Park. (3) Saffron Moon won his two starts last year after moving to the turf for Brown and now makes his 2023 debut.

4^th race [40000 N2L, 6 ½ F] – (2) Dr. Perry gets blinkers on and drops down a notch after racing at Ellis Park. (3) Camm’ Duke drops into a N2L claimer for the first time and is projected to be loose on the lead. (1) Built to Last drops back to the level at which he set the pace and finished second after three tries in starter allowances. (4) Watasha was claimed from his two races when he finished fourth both times and now is with Linda Rice.

10^th race [NY, Md Sp Wt, 5 ½ F TURF] – (7) Laurel Valley (B) was taken up after running up on the heels of a horse in front and finished fourth. (4) Vaunted (B) had to wait in traffic, moved seven wide, and finished second well clear of the others in a claimer. (1) Russi set the pace and finished second in a race that was meant to be his first start on the turf. (3) Locke and Key was vanned off in his last start in July, shows two bullet works since then, and cuts back to a sprint.

Best bets: Ride Up (1^st); Dr. Perry (4^th). Best value: Pleasant Passage (2^nd); Laurel Valley (10^th).