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.

3^rd race [OC50k/SAL50k, 1 mi] – (5) Higher Force (B) was fractious in the gate, got far back, and gained going seven wide. Blinkers come off. (6) Heavenly Light broke her maiden with a $50,000 tag and then ran second twice at this starter allowance level. (1) Helen’s Revenge was third in her first start for Linda Rice on a muddy and sealed track. (7) Pocket Queens lunged at the start but was still able to win a $40,000 maiden claimer by two lengths getting up in the final yards.

5^th race [Md Sp Wt, 6F] – (4) Elemiah (B) was bet down in her debut to 7-2 back in July at Saratoga and finished second behind an experienced horse that came back to win her next start. She gets first-time Lasix for her second race. (3) Decree and Declare debuted as the favorite in September, pressed the pace, and ran fourth. Following the layoff, she gets blinkers and Lasix for the first-time. (7) I’m Very Sweet was second in her first start in November where she pressed the pace and was second. (2) She’s Complicated ran twice and finished second and third.

9^th race [OC 45k/N1X, 1 mi] – (4) Points Is Points (A) got jostled to the back of the field, then swapped leads during a stretch duel, lost by a nose, and finished 10 lengths clear of the rest of the field. (2) Grammy Girl has two wins from her last three starts in a N2L claimer and a starter allowance. (5) Takethemoneyhoney won both of her starts in a maiden special weight at Parx and a state-bred allowance at Laurel. ([1) Save Us Melania won by almost nine lengths last time and (1A) Malu won through the NY-bred allowance conditions.]

10^th race [Alw 50000s, 1 mi] – (1A) Melt With You (B) had an awkward stumble at the start, rushed up on the outside, and faded. (8) Houlton was second in a starter allowance in January. (3) Scat Tu Tap set the pace and finished second last month in a starter allowance. (4) Final Denile was a winner of N2L claimer two races back.

Best bets: Elemiah (5^th); Melt With You (10^th). Best Value:  Higher Force (3^rd); Points Is Point (9^th).

@NYHotList Saturday Pick 3 Special --
Saturday Special $1 Pick 3 covers races 8-10 à 1/1A, 5 with 2, 4, 5, 1/1A with 1A, 3, 4, 8 = $32.