Buy TicketsBy 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 4th or worst
* - 4 or more betting notches if 11-1 or more.
1st race [OC 62K/N1X, 6F] – (6) Munnings Express has only top three finishes from seven career starts including a five-length win in a second-level allowance for NY-breds. (4) Kadena won her last three races with two $50,000 claimers and a starter allowance. (5) Geez Eloise returns from a November layoff for Linda Rice when she had starter allowance success. (2) Paula’s a Star comes back from an August layoff and is stakes placed.
2nd race [OC 75K/N2X, 6 ½ F] – (2) Porosity won a first-level allowance in March with a career best speed figure. (4) Sacrosanct won his first four starts against NY-breds and won an open company allowance most recently. (1) Awesome Native was second in his first start in 16 months. (5) Resilience gets blinkers on following a start eight days ago. In 2024 he won the Wood Memorial (G2) and was sixth in the Kentucky Derby.
3rd race [The Excelsior, 1 ¼ mi] – (6) Yo Daddy came back from a June layoff to run twice at Aqueduct where he won an allowance and was second in the Stymie. He was second in the long-distance Belmont Gold Cup (G3) and third in the Westchester (G3). (4) Classicist gets blinkers on for his sixth start following a second behind the top choice in that allowance which came after a layoff for him, also. (1) Stowaway raced against top older males at Fair Grounds this winter in the Tenacious and the Mineshaft (G3). (3) Interceptor won his last two races in a starter allowance and then a ten-furlong allowance.
4th race [Alw 83000 N1X, 1 1/8 mi] – (2) Fact was second by a head in the Smarty Jones at Parx Racing last year and then came back three weeks ago to finish second at Gulfstream Park. (3) Fort Nelson won his last two races for Linda Rice in a $50,000 claimer and a starter allowance. (4) Tariff Mindset was a debut winner for Chad Brown at Aqueduct in February as the 8-5 favorite where he broke slowly, climbed badly from kickback, and rallied from far behind to prevail by a nose. (5) Chillax finished top three in all nine races including the last three in allowances.
5th race [NY, OC 45K/N2X, 1 mi] – (5) Fast and Frisky won her last two starts moving from a first to a second-level allowance. She was claimed for $45,000 from three recent races. (7) Early On won an allowance at the Big A last month. We know her from a second in the Gazelle (G3) and the Virginia Oaks. (6) Valtellina returns from a December layoff. She won the Empire Distaff in October. (1) She’s Grand has six wins from 11 starts. Most were at Finger Lakes but she hit the board in her recent races at Aqueduct.
6th race [Carter Handicap (G2), 7F] – (2) Book’em Danno makes his 2026 after a year when he was named the Sprint Champion. He won three graded stakes at Saratoga to end his campaign last year. He comes back from an August layoff. (5) Rated by Merit is undefeated in five starts. The Florida-bred ran four times at Gulfstream as a 2-year-old and once last year in October going a mile at Aqueduct. He has yet to run in a graded stakes race. (1) Point Dume won 4 out of his last 6 starts including two in Laurel stakes this winter. (4) Be You appeared on the Kentucky Derby trail in 2024 but was last seen winning the Toboggan at Aqueduct in February.
7th race [Clm 17500B, 1 mi] – (3) Mitole’s Girl was claimed for $17,500 in December and came back a month later to set the pace and finish a close second and makes a barn change. (7) Rogue Justice was claimed for $12,500 when she won at the N2L condition in March. Before that she was a maiden $20,000 winner. (8) Blenheim Baby won for a $20,000 tag two weeks ago. (11) That’s Funny changes barns after a January third at this level and a victory at $12,500 before that.
8th race [Alw 50000s, 1 mi] – (7) Awesome Empire (B) broke through the gate in a similar spot last month and lost all chance. (8) Turn and Count won for $50,000 but was disqualified to third in December. He moved to a starter allowance and had the lead but lost a stretch duel by a nose. (5) Morlock came back from a three-month layoff to finish second at this level after an easy maiden claiming score. (1) Cocktailsnkringle was second for a $30,000 tag and then third moving up to a starter allowance.
9th race [Alw 83000 N1X, 7F] – (3) Pair of Socks (B) was first or second in his last five starts including a victory in a starter allowance followed by a close second at today’s level three weeks ago. (2) Incentive Pay came back from an 18-month layoff as the 5-2 favorite for Chad Brown to finish third. (8) Cool Andy won a starter allowance in February and then was second the whole race in a first-level allowance. (1) Sansone returned from a nine-month layoff to get his maiden win at Gulfstream by almost seven-lengths.
10th race [The Distaff (G3), 7F] – (5) With the Angels has 7 wins from 9 starts and a pair of seconds to make an impressive record. The New York-bred won her last two against open company including the Correction last month. (1) Takethemoneyhoney has a record similar to the top choice with 7 wins from 10 starts and three seconds. The Maryland-bred will come to New York for the second time. (7) Immersive was a three-time Grade 1 winner as a 2-year-old with 5 wins from 7 races and two seconds. (8) Grammy Girl will return from a November layoff when she won a stakes at Laurel.
11th race [The Gazelle (G3), 1 1/8 mi] – (1) Paradise has only three starts since November with a maiden win at Gulfstream in January followed by a victory in the Busher at Aqueduct by almost four lengths. (3) Nycon was second in the Busher and the Cash Run in her last two starts. (2) Always a Runner won her only race by more than six lengths at Tampa Downs as an odds-on favorite for Chad Brown. (6) Pashmina was third twice and fourth in starts in Kentucky Oaks qualifiers.
12th race [Wood Memorial (G2), 1 1/8 mi] – The Wood Memorial (G2) drew a field of thirteen 3-year-olds including nine horses that already have some Kentucky Derby points. They will vie for a purse of $750,000 and a share of the qualifying points of 100-50-25-15-10 which go to the top five eligible finishers. (2) Talk to Me Jimmy dominated the Withers field with an 11-length victory and is 1 of only 2 horses in the field with a win going the nine-furlong distance. (13) Iron Honor is undefeated in two starts that includes the Gotham (G3) on the Derby trail. (12) Buetane ran well in five starts at five different tracks with the last two on the Derby trail. (9) Bravaro is another one with two recent starts in prep races for the Run for the Roses. As a 2-year-old he was second behind the champion Ted Noffey in the Hopeful (G1).
Saturday Pick 3 Special --
The Saturday Special $1 all graded-stakes Pick 3 covers races 10-12 and includes the Distaff (G3), Gazelle (G3), and the Wood (G2) à 1, 2, 5, 7, 8 with 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 with 2 = $25.
| No. | Name | Letter last race | Today's Race | Comments |
| (7) | Awesome Empire | B on 3/8 | 8 | Broke through the gate and lost all chance. |
| (3) | Pair of Socks | B on 3/14 | 9 | First or second in his last five races. |