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 [Alw 88000 N1X, 6F] – (3) My Magic Wand broke her maiden against open company last year in a maiden special weight and then won her next two starts going through the NY-bred allowances. Last seen she ran in a state-bred stakes in February. (1) Flat Out Time sold for $250,000 as a yearling and then debuted at Fonner Park in March and won by five lengths. Last month she tried an allowance at Churchill Downs changing to the barn of George Weaver after being sold by the previous owner/trainer. (5) Hillerito won 3 out of 4 starts racing at Mountaineer Park and Belterra Park for Eric Reed of Kentucky Derby fame. She shows up here after training in Kentucky and changing to the barn of David Jacobson. (6) My Two Sophia’s won her first two starts against NJ-breds and moves back to open company.

2^nd race [NY, OC 45k/N2X, 1 mi] – (3) Khali Magic won this type of race, tried a state-bred stakes and a second-level open-company allowance, and goes here for the $45,000 tag. (6) Snappin Buttons won at this level last month and shows up in here for the claiming option after trying a stakes race. (2) Mommasgottagun won the first-level allowance for Linda Rice in March. (5) Embraceable Gal finished in the top three in 11 out of her last 12 starts against NY-bred allowance horses.

3^rd race [Md 35000, 7F] – (5) Spirit Dragon (B) broke last in his debut, rushed up on the inside, moved out, rallied for second at 7-1, and gets first-time Lasix. (9) Tactical Trackstar made her only start in April in a maiden special weight for Brad Cox who wins at 25% with this kind of move. (8) Senor Poncho comes back as a new gelding after running for $50,000 on the turf at Gulfstream Park in March. (2) Grey Ace will make her 2025 debut with first-time Lasix and drops in for a tag after a second and a pair of fourths in maiden special weights.

4^th race [Clm 30000 N2L, 1 mi] – (3) Ponant (D) was bet down from 13-1 to 7-1, set the pace on the turf, finished sixth, changes to the barn of Linda Rice, and tries a N2L condition for the first time. (5) Hero’s Medal drops in for a tag for the first time since running second for $75,000. (1) Senegal runs for in a N2L claimer for the first time. (4) Brave Bear was second twice for a $17,500 tag and was taken last time out.

Best bets: My Magic Wand (1^st); Khali Magic (2^nd); Best value: Spirit Dragon (3^rd); Ponant (4^th).