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, 1 5/16 mi TURF] – (3) Sister Jean stretched out to ten furlongs last month and missed the win by a head. (6) Osmosis was just a neck behind the top choice in that September race. (5) Misthorn gets blinkers on following a third-place finish at Saratoga in August. (2) Stand the Rain has a couple of top three finishes during the summer.

2^nd race [NY, OC 45K/N2X, 1 mi] – (1) Palace Boss (B) came back from a seven-month layoff, was hard held on heels, and came up empty. (4) Caddiemaster has four top three finishes in a row including a pair of wins at Finger Lakes and Saratoga. (6) Berning Beauty was second at this level last month. (5) Sunday Boy won the first-level allowance and was third in the Albany at Saratoga.

3^rd race [Md 50000, 6F TURF] – (6) Frenchquarter Note debuted in a fast race in June and then lost all chance at the break of his second start in July. He comes back from a layoff as a new gelding. (3) Eske Castle was the favorite in his one start in December where he had the lead and finished third by a neck on the Tapeta at Turfway Park. (2) Arabian Power has three second-place finishes while racing on the lead. (4) War Profiteer gets blinkers on for his second start at this level after changing to a New York-based trainer.

8^th race [Md Sp Wt, 1 mi TURF] – (12) Raise the Roof (A) got bumped at the start, had to check hard, was last in a field of 12, then rallied wide to second. (4) Dover Street made three starts at top tracks in England and then clipped heels in his American debut in the Pilgrim (G2). (11) Suspend was second on the turf and then third on the Tapeta at Belmont. (8) Bring Cash pressed the pace, had the lead, and finished second last month on the Tapeta.

Best bets: Sister Jean (1^st); Frenchquarter Note (3^rd). Best value: Palace Boss (2^nd) Raise the Roof (8^th).