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 worst
* - 4 or more betting notches if 11-1 or more.

2^nd race [Clm 20000, 6 ½ F] – (2) Problematica returns from an August layoff after being in top form with a pair of wins at this level and in a starter allowance. (1) Proud Foot was a winner two races back when he was claimed for $20,000. Draw a line through the last race which was a big step up in class. (5) Defended was third in a similar spot and got claimed last month. (7) Majestic Return pressed the pace, had the lead, finished fourth, and got claimed for $25,000.

3^rd race [OC 75k/N2X, 6F] – (1) Toxic Gray (B) comes back from an April layoff when he battled gamely in a stretch duel where he was second by a neck and ended up well clear of the rest of the field. (6) Vettriano won the first-level allowance against open company in September with a front end effort and then was second in a NY-bred stakes race. (5) Victory Way tried the turf in September for the first time but goes right back to the dirt where he had a pair of top three finishes at today’s level. (2) Sheriff Bianco goes for the claiming option because he has seven career wins including a NY-bred stakes race.

6^th race [Alw 50000s, 1 1/8 mi] – (1) House United hit the board in a few starter allowances like this one and his last win was for an $80,000 tag in May at Churchill Downs. (3) Whiskey N Soda returned from a 10-month layoff to win a N3L claimer last month. (8) Fever Night comes back from a July layoff when he ran in a $100,000 claimer. He was a maiden winner for $50,000 at Churchill where he was claimed by Linda Rice. (5) Neon Bordeaux won his last two starts with closing moves which came after a six-month layoff.

7^th race [NY, Alw 81000 N1X, 7F] – (5) Gaming Wizard moved from turf to dirt to break his maiden by more than 13 lengths and then was fourth in a state-bred stakes. (3) Wamo was first in his last two starts in NY-bred maiden special weights but got disqualified in one of them for herding. (2) Pantherian is the horse that benefitted from the DQ to get the win as an odds-on favorite for Todd Pletcher in October. (6) Top Player broke his maiden in his third try which was in October going the seven furlongs.

Best bets: Toxic Gray (3^rd); Gaming Wizard (7^th). Best value:  Problematica (2^nd); House United (6^th).