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 [Md 40000, 7F] – (3) Next On Stage came back from a layoff, dropped into the claiming ranks, set the pace, and finished second as the favorite. (5) Brown as a Biscuit was claimed for $20,000 by Linda Rice from her debut in Kentucky where she was the favorite. (7) Celestial Express will drop into a claimer for the first time and takes the blinkers off after trying them for the first time. (1) Extra Dirty has shown early speed and could get into the trifecta.

2^nd race [Alw 20000s, 6F] – (2) Printrack was first or second in his last six starts and four of them were victories. (1A) Beachwalker was claimed for $62,500 and gets to drop into an easier spot than his last three races. (4) Victorious Wave rarely fails to finish in the top three and was a winner the last time he ran in a claimer. (3) Chuck Willis has top three finishes in his last four starts with 2 wins. He has plenty of early speed and will be part of a fast pace.

8^th race [OC 62K/N2X, 6F] – (1A) Crypto Mama (B) set the pace, ran well to get third but was running too far, and now cuts back in distance to a sprint. (3) Sue Ellen Mishkin won 10 out of 20 starts in her career with now 4 victories out of her last 6. Breaking from the rail she may be the quickest in this race that has an expected fast pace. (5) Proud Foot won her last two starts for Rick Dutrow since she was claimed from Linda Rice and gets the right pace set-up. (8) Leeloo has a pair of seconds in her last two starts and is a versatile runner either on the lead or closing.

9^th race  [NY, Md 25000, 6 ½ F] – (8) Collected Special comes back from a November layoff with a pair of third-place finishes in maiden special weights and drops down to the lowest maiden claiming level at Aqueduct. (4) Retail Man made four starts against tougher competition and has some early speed. (3) Arco Augusta rallied from pretty far behind in his last race and got up from second after he dropped down to the bottom. (2) The Delaware Boyz was third last time after pressing the pace and was solidly bet every time.

Best bets: Next On Stage (1^st); Collected Special (9^th). Best value: Printrack (2^nd); Crypto Mama (8^th).