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.

2^nd race [OC 100k/C, 1 1/8 mi] – (6) Bendoog has four second-place finishes in a row including a pair in March at Oaklawn including a stakes race where he missed by a neck after trouble at the quarter pole. (1) Otello was a second-level allowance winner last month after a layoff. (5) Film Star was a stakes winner at Laurel Park in December. (4) Classic Catch was second in the Excelsior at Aqueduct and actually cuts back in distance.

4^th race [Md Sp Wt, 1 mi TURF] – (6) Noble Confessor will make his 2025 debut as a maiden that ran second in the Pilgrim (G2) and the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf last year for Todd Pletcher and St. Elias. (1) Freedom Glider comes back from a winter break with a third and a second in turf races last fall and gets first-time Lasix. (2) Uncatalyzed debuted at Tampa Downs where he had the lead and finished second for Chad Brown. (5) Reteko ran well in five turf starts at Aqueduct and Fair Grounds and shows up as a new gelding.

7^th race [Vagrancy (G3), 6 ½ F] – (2) Almostgone Rocket won her first three races last year with a stakes win at Saratoga and came back after a nine-month layoff to be second in the Matron at Gulfstream Park. (3) Leslie’s Rose was a Grade 1 winner last year and gets some class relief after a series of Grade 1 stakes through July and makes her 2025 debut. (1) R Disaster was second by a neck in an Oaklawn Park stakes and ran only first or second in seven starts. (5) Haulin Ice won 3 out of 4 starts including the Matron at Oaklawn.

9^th race [Westchester (G3), 1 mi] – (2) Bank Frenzy won his last four starts including three stakes in a row with two against NY-breds and in the open-company Stymie. (1) Bishops Bay won his last two including the American Pharoah at Oaklawn. (5) Worcester was first or second in his last seven starts with a stakes victory at Laurel. (7) Quint’s Brew had the lead in the stretch in the Carter (G2) last month and missed by a neck to a deep closer.

Best bets: Bendoog (2^nd); Noble Confessor (4^th). Best value: Almostgone Rocket (7^th); Bank Frenzy (9^th).