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 [NY, Md Sp Wt, 1 mi TURF] – (10) Decimal Point was third in her debut at Saratoga last month finishing behind a horse that came back to win. (7) J’ray’s Jewel improved her speed figures in all three starts with top three finishes each time and the last two were on the grass. (2) Carpet City gets blinkers off after two turf sprints at Saratoga including a neck loss in the debut. (3) Tappin Magic was the favorite in her second start on a yielding turf earlier this month.

2^nd race [Md Sp Wt, 6 ½ TURF] – (9) Bayfront was second in both of his starts at Colonial Downs in July and Kentucky Downs in August. (1) Blazing Tiger was second in his most recent races at Saratoga in July and 19 days ago at Kentucky Downs and hit the board in 5 out of 6 starts. Manny Franco gets on board for the first time. (4) Jubilee Parade has five top three finishes and blinkers come off after trying them for two races. (8) Weseeulator returns from a January layoff as a new gelding for a new trainer. Last seen he was a nose behind the second choice in this race.

6^th race [Clm 12500, 1 mi] – (12) Expensive Cut (B) was eager and full of run last month when he dropped down today’s level, had to check repeatedly, finished fourth, and got claimed. (5) Polar Bear Plunge was second by a head in his last two starts at this level. (2) Rungius was claimed by Linda Rice in July at Saratoga for $20,000. (1) Pineapple Man ran against open company three times at Saratoga and goes for $16,000 in here as a NY-bred.

8^th race [NY, Md 50000, 6F TURF] – (11) Eye On the Ball was claimed for $50,000 last month at 5-1 after three good efforts at this level. (8) Richies Love returns to state-bred racing for a tag where he finished second twice. (7) My Munny Talks moves back to the turf and to Charlie Baker’s barn where he showed speed and finished third in May. (9) Nickerson will make his second start after a layoff from November as a new gelding with first-time Lasix.

Best bets: Bayfront (2^nd); Eye On the Ball (8^th). Best value: Decimal Point (1^st); Expensive Cut (6^th).