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.

1^st race [NY, Md Sp Wt, 1 mi] – (6) Combat Mission is still a maiden even though he was second in a NY Stallion Series stakes. (3) Twenty One Red moved from turf to dirt and finished third in his first try on that surface. (7) Where’s Your Boom gets blinkers on after a pair of seconds in maiden $75,000 claimers. (1) Tizlawry had an awkward start in his second race when he moved from turf to dirt.

2^nd race [NY, Md Sp Wt, 1 mi] – (4) Pride of the Union was second and third recently and last month was behind a horse that came back to win his next start. (2) Mission Critical returned from a layoff to finish behind the top choice. (6) Classic Commander was fourth in a $75,000 maiden claimer going the mile distance. (3) Bootsy’s a Rascal shows up as a new gelding after running second in his debut for a $50,000 tag.

3^rd race [Alw 50000s, 6 ½ F] – (5) In Awe of Juju (D) was bet down from 6-1 to 4-1, set the pace, finished fourth, and got claimed. (3) Maxaluna won her last two races moving from a $17,500 to a $30,000 claimer and was taken from Linda Rice. (1) Hey Cookie won a starter allowance at Saratoga and gets a noteworthy rider change. (7) Sheer Will broke her maiden for $20,000 in October and then won again in a $30,000 N2L condition for Rice.

7^th race [NY, OC 45k/N2X, 6 ½ F] – (3) Accelerating (B) returns from a June layoff when she got off to an awkward start in a NY-bred stakes race and lost all chance. (4) Bam’s Bliss Kiss won her last two races in a row including three weeks ago at this same level which puts her in again but for the claiming option this time. (5) Kay Cup is a past NY-bred stakes winner who was second against Bam’s Bliss Kiss. (8) Intentious was third in a NY Stallion Series stakes following her win in a first-level allowance.

Best bets: Combat Mission (1^st); Pride of the Union (2^nd). Best value:  In Awe of Juju (3^rd); Accelerating (7^th).