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.

3^rd race [Ruthless, 7F] – (4) Moonlit Drive (A) was a debut winner three weeks ago for a trainer that rarely wins with first-time starters. (1) Win N Your In will make her first start outside of Florida where she was a two-time stakes winner against open company and Florida-breds. Blinkers go on after running third in the Gasparilla at Tampa Bay Downs. (5) Hollywood Beauty was a debut winner that then ran in three stakes races. After a trainer change, she romped by more than eight lengths in a stakes race at Parx going the seven furlong distance. (3) Volleyballprincess is a rare North Carolina-bred that won his first start at Parx and then was third in that stakes race behind the 5 horse.

6^th race [Toboggan, 7F] – (1) Maximus Meridius won the Gravesend while racing as part of a pace duel and pulled away by a half-length. (4) Coastal Mission won the Parx Dirt Mile in September and then the Forty Niner (G3) at the Big A. The 6-year-old has 14 career victories and $1.1 million in earnings. (2) Full Moon Madness returned from a long layoff to win an allowance and then was part of the pace battle with the top choice. (6) Nelson Avenue won the Blitzen at Parx by more than 11 lengths on a muddy track going today’s distance.

7^th race [Withers, 1 1/8 mi] – (7) Omaha Omaha picked up five Derby points when he finished second in the Jerome last month with a late rally. He has already shown that he can handle racing around two-turns with wins at Delaware Park and Laurel Park. The nine-furlong distance at Aqueduct presents a big challenge and Omaha Omaha should be making the last run that could be the best run. (6) Captain Cook won at Aqueduct by more than nine lengths after changing to the barn of Rick Dutrow, pressing the pace, and drawing off. (5) Mo Quality moved onto the Derby trail at Oaklawn and finished second in the Smarty Jones when he pressed the pace. That also gave him five qualifying points. (1) Global Steve is undefeated in two starts for trainer Butch Reid at Parx. In November he broke his maiden by more than six lengths going seven furlongs and then stepped up to win the Future Stars on a sloppy track. Reid is a two-time winner of the Withers including last year with Uncle Heavy.

8^th race [OC62k/N2X, 6F] – (5) Everyoneloveslinda (B) gets a rider change and was claimed for $62,500 after being all over the track and getting blocked in the stretch. (4) Golden Degree has won three times since she was claimed by Linda Rice earlier in the year for $30,000 and was second at today’s level last time. (1) Shesalittle Edgy ran first or second in all four of her recent races. (2) Sunday Girl ran a career best race in an allowance victory in her second start following a four month layoff.

Best bets:  Moonlit Drive (3^rd); Maximus Meridius (6^th). Best Value:  Omaha Omaha (7^th); Everyoneloveslinda (8^th).

Saturday Pick 3 Special --
Saturday Special $1 Pick 3 covers races 6-8 and includes the Withers  à 1, 4, 2 with 1, 5, 6, 7 with 1, 4, 5 = $36.