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 worse
* - 4 or more betting notches if 11-1 or more.

3^rd race [Clm 20000, 1 1/16 mi] – (3) Hammerin Aamer (C) was bet down from 7-1 to 5-1 and rallied to finish third. This 9-year-old continues to run well and brings his great record back to Belmont Park where he has four of his career 13 victories. (2) Caribbean won at this claiming level in February and was claimed for $12,500 last month by Linda Rice who was the leading trainer at the just concluded Aqueduct meeting. (5) Gentleman Joe drops down from his recent second-place finishes for a $32,000 tag. (1A) Durkin’s Call drops down to this $20,000 level after racing in tougher spots most of the time at the Big A.

6^th race [Alw 50000s, 1 mi] – (7) Wishing On a Star (A) bobbled at the start of her last race, then was very rank, but still managed to run second after setting the pace. (5) She Caught My Eye was claimed from an open-length win in a $14,000 claimer by Linda Rice who moved her up to run third behind the top choice last month. (1) Vodkatini ran in New York in her last two starts with a second at this starter allowance level. (6) Maggie T was claimed in February for $50,000 by Linda Rice and then had a win and a second in starter allowances.

7^th race [NY, OC 45k/N2X, 1 mi] – (1) Bustin Bay was claimed from a victory at this level by Linda Rice and comes back a month later. (7) B B’s Busted was claimed for $35,000 three months ago when he was second at Parx Racing. (3) Sunset Louise was last seen in a state-bred stakes race at Aqueduct in December after a pair of strong allowance performances at the mile distance. (2) My First Love won a first-level allowance for NY-breds three weeks ago by almost six lengths.

9^th race [NY, Md Sp Wt, 6F TURF] – (1A) Loon Cry moved from dirt to turf in her second career start last month at Aqueduct and rallied to just miss the win by a neck while running far ahead of the rest of the field. (9) Snowy Evening made his first start on the turf after a dirt debut and ran second in an almost identical performance as the top choice in what was actually the second division of the race. (7) Mz Big Bucks had a promising debut on the turf when she was fourth in the race with Loon Cry. (1) Voleuse began her career with two good starts on the turf last spring and then raced on the main track the rest of the year. Now after the winter off she moves back to the grass.

Best bets: Hammerin Aamer (3^rd); Loon Cry (9^th). Best value: Wishing On a Star (6^th); Bustin Bay (7^th).