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 20000, 1 mi] – (6) Noguchi set the pace going nine-furlongs and finished second in a similar spot and that was after getting claimed twice. (3) Magnanimous Max was fifth for a $50,000 tag in his last two races for Brad Cox. He is in it to win it in this spot. (1) Thorsness set the pace and finished third three weeks ago. (4) Come to Papa was one of those Kentucky claims for Linda Rice in November for $30,000. He has seven top three finishes.

3^rd race [OC 50k/N1X, 7F] – (6) Proud Foot (B) broke last, had to steady early in the race, still rallied for second well clear of the others, and got claimed. (5) Romantic Dancer was second two weeks ago in a first-level allowance. (3) Atarah won her last two races in a starter allowance following a claim by Rice from a $50,000 race at Churchill Downs. (4) Roman Grace returns from a March layoff at Oaklawn Park and changes to the barn of Amelia Green.

4^th race [Md Sp Wt, 1 mi] – (6) Lost Horizon (B) returns from a July Saratoga layoff when she got bumped hard at the break, had to steady back to last, and then got up for second. (2) Raghba was last seen finishing second in a November maiden race for Todd Pletcher. (7) Trango Tower was third in November in a similar spot after moving to the Rice barn. (5) Laylani Lou moved from turf to dirt and ran fourth going seven-furlongs.

7^th race [NY, Alw 35000s, 1 mi] – (2) Smilensaycheese won a $17,500 claimer against open company by six lengths and got claimed away from Linda Rice. (8) Mad Banker has been racing in starter allowances around the Mid-Atlantic tracks with a second last month at Parx and has not raced against NY-breds since 2024. (7) Mo for the King had the lead in a $30,000 claimer in December, missed by a head, and got claimed. (1) Toga Dan won a NY-bred maiden special weight in June.

Best bets: Noguchi (1^st); Lost Horizon (4^th). Best value:  Proud Foot (3^rd); Smilensaycheese (7^th).