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, 6F] – (2) Illmatic (B) returns from a July layoff when he made his only start at Saratoga in a turf sprint where he set a very fast pace and bore out badly in the stretch. (5) Bounty Banker rallied in a nine-horse field to finish second just missing by a neck early in the month. (8) Lord King cut back in distance in his second start, set the pace, and finished third. (3) Nowucme Nowudont returns from a July layoff when he made his first start in a turf sprint at Saratoga and was third at 9-2.

4^th race [Tom Fool (G3), 6F] – (2) One Nine Hundred (A) was an impressive allowance winner last month in his second race following a layoff and earned the best speed figure in this field. (4) Acoustic Ave has a great record in this kind of company with 22 top three finishes from 29 starts. (5) Full Moon Madness won the Tom Fool last year with a front-end effort. (3) Bold Journey has a couple of top three finishes in top level Aqueduct allowances.

5^th race [Clm 10000, 1 mi] – (5) Mister Holden (B) lost all chance at the break when he stumbled badly at 5-1 and was claimed for $10,000. (4) Hours in a Day makes a big drop in class for Linda Rice after a pair of thirds for the waiver in $20,000 claimers. (9) Skylander was claimed after late rally to win for a $10,000 tag. (2) Knox is another drop down horse who has a win for $17,500 for Chad Summers who has been putting his horses in winning spots in the past few months.

6^th race [NY, Md Sp Wt, 6F] – (12) Sugartown Sweetie set the pace in her second career start, got headed in the stretch, and finished second. (4) Daylight Dreamer will debut for a trainer who does well with firsters and this one sold for $150,000 from a $7,500 sire. (7) Rock Steady Babe has three third-place finishes in a row and the blinkers come off. (5) Atira is a daughter of Yaupon making her first start with a steady series of workouts.

Best bets: Illmatic (1^st); One Nine Hundred (4^th). Best Value: Mister Holden (5^th); Sugartown Sweetie (6^th).

Saturday Pick 3 Special --
Saturday Special $1 Pick 3 covers races 4-6 and includes the Tom Fool (G3) 2, 4 with 2, 4, 5, 9 with 4, 5, 7, 12 = $32.