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.

1^st race [Md Sp Wt, 6F TURF] – (2) Son of a Birch (B) was last seen running at Saratoga when he was very eager and difficult to handle while making two turf starts. He returns now as a gelding with Lasix for the first time. (4) Cumberland has two starts at Gulfstream Park this year and last time stretched out to a turf mile, set the pace, and finished second by a nose. Blinkers go on to help with the stretch run. (1) Fast Boat to Skye made his turf debut in his fifth start and was on the lead going a mile to finish fifth. Excellent turf trainer David Donk now cuts him back to sprinting. (6) Flat Top Box will make the first start of his career for Jorge Abreu who does well with turf firsters.

5^th race [NY, Md Sp Wt, 6F TURF] – (7) Electric Stuff (C) set the pace and finished second by a neck in his first start on the grass after getting bet down from 6-1 to 3-1. (6) Launch Control (C) also moved to the turf for the first time, set the pace, and ran second in what was the second division of a split race that Electric Stuff ran in. He was bet to be the even money favorite. (1) Kreesa is a home-bred that had a pair of turf starts last year for Donk and makes his 2023 debut with blinkers on and Lasix for the first time. (9) Scherzando had trouble leaving the gate in his second start of the year for Dee Tee Stables of radio personality Steve Byk.

6^th race [Clm 40000 N2L, 6F] – (7) Warman Road (B) was an impressive winner in his first start of the year to break his maiden. He came back in a very strong allowance field to face winners for the first time but was badly bothered by heavy kickback and did very little running. (1) Our Son Jake came back from a layoff to get the lead going a mile for a $25,000 tag and ran second. He will cut back to a sprint. (8) Jester’s Song was sent off at 4-1 in his 2023 debut and finished fourth. (6) Improper won a $40,000 maiden claimer by 10 lengths in his first start of the year.

9^th race [NY, Md Sp Wt, 1 mi TURF] – (2) Big Hazel (B) finished second in his debut behind a 1-5 favorite for Todd Pletcher and was well ahead of the rest of the field. He will move from dirt to turf for Donk. (9) My Angel made three winter starts on the dirt but seems to be turf meant with War Dancer as his sire for Mike Maker. (8) Be Best debuted on a sloppy sealed track at 5-2 and broke slowly. (7) Robyn and Eli got the winter off after six starts and three second-place finishes for Chad Brown.

Best bets: Electric Stuff (5^th); Warman Road (6^th). Best value: Son of a Birch (1^st); Big Hazel (9^th).