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 40000, 6F] – (3) Big Hat Willie was claimed in May at Churchill Downs for the $40,000 tag, took a couple of months off, came back to win a starter allowance at Delaware Park, and then was fourth in an allowance field that was too tough at the Big A. (5) Barksdale set the pace in an October starter allowance at Aqueduct and finished third in a blanket finish. Flavien Prat gets the mount as Manny Franco moves to the top choice. (4) Trust Issues was claimed for $50,000 in Kentucky in May and since then ran seven times with a win and three seconds. (6) Metalhead won his last three starts at Pennsylvania tracks in starter allowances.

3^rd race [NY, Md Sp Wt, 1 mi] – (1) Max Money had the lead in the stretch in the Sleepy Hollow and ended up second three lengths clear of the rest of the field. (2) Fourth and One set the pace in the Sleepy Hollow and finished third. He was also second in the Funny Cide in his debut at Saratoga. Blinkers come off. (3) Royal Riddle as two top three finishes from three races since September and he, too, goes blinkers off. (6) Snickery moves from turf to dirt and cuts back to sprinting for the Casse barn.

4^th race [Clm 16000, 1 1/8 mi] – (7) Best Bet (C) was bet down from 5-2 to be the 7-5 favorite where he set the pace and finished third going a mile. He drops down a step on the claiming ladder. (5) Ministerial returns from an April layoff and drops out of a series of starter allowances to claiming where last seen he was a winner for $20,000. (6) Bob John Ray was a winner at the nine-furlong distance in a $10,000 race. (3) He’s Got This was claimed twice for $12,500 in his last three races where he hit the board each time including once for a $40,000 tag.

5^th race [NY, Md 30000, 1 mi] – (1) Banco Di Sicilia moved back to the main track and finished third in a race that was meant for the grass. (5) Icy Legs made his first start at Aqueduct in a $75,000 maiden claimer after a pair at Monmouth Park. (6) Wayward Queen ran OK in a pair of turf maiden special weights and drops in for a tag for the first time and could be a live longshot. (4) Rose Lisa also goes from turf to dirt but does so for a trainer with gaudy 55% win numbers from 11 runners.

Best bets: Big Hat Willie (2^nd); Max Money (3^rd). Best value:  Best Bet (4^th); Banco Di Sicilia (5^th).