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 75000, 7F] – (6) Gualillo (A) dropped back, rallied wide, and was third in a blanket finish. (1) Oil Capital was third for $50,000 in November at Churchill Downs and was claimed by Linda Rice and the same can be said about (5) Antietam who was claimed in October in Kentucky by Rice as the 8-5 favorite. (3) Free Spin returns to the claiming ranks where was second twice recently.

2^nd race [OC 50k/SAL, 6F] – (7) Ohoopee won her first two starts in a Keeneland maiden special weight and then got claimed for $50,000 at Churchill in November. She was second in an OC allowance in her first start for Linda Rice three weeks ago. (5) Daniella Marie won a $75,000 maiden by more than nine lengths and then was third in a NY-bred stakes and allowance. (2) Admiral Sol won a $50,000 NY-bred maiden by six-lengths in her only start. (1) St. Brigid’s Cross won for $50,000 and then got claimed for $75,000 by the red-hot Brad Cox barn.

5^th race [Md Sp Wt, 1 mi] – (2) Baffle has had consistent results and finished second in December for Repole and Pletcher. (1) Some Ride was third in her debut in December. (7) Just Tell Anne returns from a November layoff, goes from turf to dirt, and when last seen finished third after having to check and clipping heels. (4) Saratoga Party missed by a neck in her second start and that kind of effort makes her a win contender.

8^th race [NY, Md Sp Wt, 6 ½ F] – (7) Hurricane Kaz (C) was bet down from 17-1 to 13-1, raced with Lasix for the first time, set the pace, and finished second beaten by only a half-length. (14) B Thedonald (B) broke last in his debut at 5-1 and rallied for third. (10) Diamond Life (C) was bet down from 9-2 to 2-1, set the pace, and was second by a length. (13) Pride of the Union returns from a November layoff when he was a close third after racing wide between horses and the second-place horse became a return winner.

Best bets: Gualillo (1^st); Ohoopee (2^nd). Best value:  Baffle (5^th); Hurricane Kaz (8^th).