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 [OC 12500 N3L, 1 mi] – (6) Confabulation (B) was probably best when he set the pace and held off all comers in the field of 10 except the winner. (3) Flat On has three third-place finishes in a row for the $17,500 tag and was claimed by Linda Rice two races back. (2) Union Express moved from turf to dirt and won the N2L condition for $17,500, tried the next condition for that price, and now drops down. (4) Sin Nombre has two recent second-place finishes for $17,500 and in an open $10,000.

2^nd race [NY, Alw 77000 N1X, 1 mi] – (4) Unbroken Chain has five top three finishes in a row with the last two at this level. (1) Three B’s was second by a neck two races back for Linda Rice. (6) Hey Toby was moved up to fourth three weeks ago after he got checked and impeded in the stretch run when he at the time was second. (3) Corvus has some past races that make him one to use underneath.

3^rd race [NY, Alw 77000 N1X, 1 mi] – (3) She’s Grand moved to the Rice barn from a Finger Lakes trainer and improved to finish second at Aqueduct last month. (4) Hello Beauty ran well on turf and dirt hitting the board four times since September. (5) Off Script was first or second in her last four starts including three weeks ago going nine furlongs. (1) Capital Gal is another on who has run well at this level recently.

7^th race [Clm 10000, 1 mi] – (3) He’s Got This (B) rallied for second well clear of the rest on a speed favoring track two weeks ago. (4) Skylander was third for a $16,000 tag three weeks ago and a winner for $12,500 in October. (1) Melt With You ships up to New York after getting claimed at Penn National for $16,000 and then tried a starter allowance that was too tough. (5) Aleah Aleah was a winner at Parx last time when she shipped there from New York.

Best bets: Confabulation (1^st); Unbroken Chain (2^nd). Best Value:  She’s Grand (3^rd); He’s Got This (7^th).

Saturday Pick 3 Special --
Saturday Special $1 Pick 3 (races 1-3) 3, 6 with 1, 4 with 1, 3, 4, 5 = $20.