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 [NY, Md Sp Wt, 6F] – (2) Merica’s Back has a pair of seconds in races like this from his four starts including last month. (6) Roofer pressed the pace in recent starts in similar state-bred spots. (7) Sanzio did not like the sloppy going last time but his prior two efforts produced a third and a second. (9) Late Night Boss was a $170,000 yearling purchase at the Saratoga NY-bred sale and makes his debut with a series of good workouts.

6^th race [OC 40k/SAL, 6F TURF] – (9) Typhoon Fury (D) came back from a winter break from turf racing and was bet down from 5-1 to be the 9-5 favorite. (7) I See You Lookin moved from dirt to turf after winter racing and rallied to a close third-place finish. (3) Dillinger was claimed from his last two starts for $16,000 and then $30,000. He has plenty of speed figures that make him a win contender. (1) Consider It Done won twice in the Spring in a maiden claimer then in a starter allowance and tries the turf for the first time.

7^th race [Md 50000, 1 1/16 mi TURF] – (8) G Five (B) broke through the gate, pressed the pace, and faded down the stretch. (4) Iron Max dropped in for a tag for the first time, returned to the turf, ran the best race of his career, and got claimed for $50,000. (9) Makeyourmoment pressed the pace, got the lead, and ended up second by a half-length in a similar race. (7) Ataturk debuted at 7-1 in April and drops in for a tag.

8^th race [OC 100k/N1X, 7F] – (1) My Mitole (C) was bet down from 12-1 to 7-1 and finished third in a similar tough spot. (4) Sand Devil won his first three career starts against NY-breds with a stakes win. He was second in the Gotham (G3) and last month in an allowance like this one. (2) Vekoma Rides won his debut in September as a 2-year-old, tried the Champagne (G1), then was second in the Nashua, and gets Lasix for his first race in 2025. (8) Touchy has six top three finishes from seven starts with five in stakes races like the Sunland Derby and the Chick Lang. He will ship up from Kentucky for Wesley Ward.

Best bets: Merica’s Back (3^rd); Typhoon Fury (6^th); Best value: G Five (7^th); My Mitole (8^th).