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.

4^th race [NY, Md 25000, 6 ½ F] – (6) Princess Sonya returns to barn of Charlie Baker and drops down after running fairly well for a $40,000 tag. (5) La Chance woke up and ran his best race to finish second at this level beaten by just a half-length after a late rally. (4) Irish Jackson is an interesting debut runner as a 4-year-old who sold for $82,000 as a 2-year-old by a stallion that stands for only $2,500 and out of an unraced mare that produced only one winner. There must have been something eye-catching about this filly at the sale. She flashed the fastest workout from 102 at Belmont Park a couple of weeks ago. (3) Wine Goddess was third at this level two races back after trying the turf last time.

7^th race [NY, OC 45k/N2X, 6F] – (4) Thrill of It won the first-level allowance for state-breds with a career best speed figure following a layoff from Saratoga. (6) Unique Unions comes back from a November layoff and changes barns to David Duggan who has done very well with the horses he got from Rick Schosberg who retired. (3) Battle Stations was claimed back in November by Linda Rice and boasts nine career victories and a strong Aqueduct record. (5) First Deputy is in for a tag as another horse with a great record at the Big A.

8^th race [NY, Affirmed Success, 6F] – (7) Today’s Flavor won four races in a row moving through the NY-bred allowance conditions and then winning an open company allowance. The win streak ended when he tried the Carter (G1) where he set the pace and ran fourth. (2) Sheriff Bianco has past performances that show only top three finishes with the last six in open company allowances. (1) Listentoyourheart comes back in three weeks after an open length victory in a top-level NY-bred allowance with a big triple digit Beyer Speed Figure for the hot trainer Ray Handal. (3) Amundson was claimed from a pace-pressing victory in an optional claiming allowance.

9^th race [Alw 50000s, 7F] – (8) Inspeightoftrainer was claimed in November at Churchill Downs by Linda Rice and since then has a pair of wins in four start including last time in a similar starter allowance. (3) Majestic Tiger has two very good races on wet tracks recently and rain is expected all weekend. (5) Always Charming came back from a June layoff to romp in a N2L claimer. (2) Mach One  came back from a Janaury layoff in a long-distance turf race which should help him get prepared for his return to the main track where he shows a muddy track win.

Best bets: Princess Sonya (4^th); Today’s Flavor (8^th). Best value: Thrill of It (7^th); Inspeightoftrainer (9^th).