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.

4^th race [Clm 20000, 1 1/8 mi] – (1) Confabulation was an open-length winner for $12,500 in January and was claimed. A week ago he was outclassed in a starter allowance. (3) Whiskey N Soda bested a four-horse field for $16,000 and got one of his career best speed figures. (4) Bob John Ray was moved to first by disqualification after setting the pace and finished second in a first-level allowance for NY-breds. (6) Hours in a Day was a winner for $17,500 in September and came back 10 days ago to finish third for the waiver in a $20,000 race.

5^th race [Md Sp Wt, 1 mi] – (7) Kaz Brio (B) moved from turf to dirt, broke last, rushed up outside, and ran on for third. (1) Double Act gets blinkers on and first-time Lasix. The $850,000 Saratoga yearling has faced some quality fields and was third in December and twice before that. (6) Pauillac is a $750,000 Gun Runner colt making his first start for Chad Brown after training in Florida since November. (2) Dr. Sinatra had a third and a second showing speed most recently.

6^th race [Alw 83000 N1X, 6F] – (6) Sacrosanct (D) returned from a long layoff and had trouble finding a race due to winter cancellations. (3) Cool Andy won his last two starts for Linda Rice after she claimed him in Kentucky for $50,000 with wins for that price in a claimer and a starter allowance. (2) Yo Banana Boy ran a best speed figure when he won a top-level NY-bred allowance with a front-end effort last month. (5) Funny Uncle won his last two races for a $20,000 tag and a starter allowance.

7^th race [OC 75k/C, 6F] – (3) Irish Maxima returns from an August layoff and two turf stakes starts with four stakes wins in his record including the Distaff (G3) at Aqueduct. (2) Atarah won his three most recent starts with a $50,000 claimer at Churchill Downs where Linda Rice claimed him, a starter allowance and a first-level allowance against open-company. (5) Sweet Brown Sugar has three wins and two seconds in NY-bred stakes and eight career victories. (4) Reliable Lady was claimed in January by Brad Cox for $75,000.

Best bets: Sacrosanct (6^th); Irish Maxima (7^th). Best Value: Confabulation (4^th); Kaz Brio (5^th).

Saturday Pick 3 Special --
Saturday Special $1 Pick 3 covers races (5-7) 1, 6, 7 with 2, 3, 6 with 2, 3 = $18.