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.

2^nd race [NY, Md Sp Wt, 1 1/16 mi TURF] – (7) Soaring Spirit (A) was rank early in her debut last month at 7-2 and rallied to be second by a neck. (8) Pelican Pride (A) rallied for third in first career start at 2-1 as part of a blanket finish of the top three. (4) Coach of the Year returns for a winter layoff and was second while racing against the boys. (2) New York Special pressed the pace, got the lead, and ended up second at 2-1 in her only start in April.

5^th race [NY, Alw 105000 N1X, 5 ½ F TURF] – (8) On the Ledge (B) got stuck in traffic on the rail in a contending position and then faded in his first start of the year. (10) Joker On Fire came back from a winter layoff, got to the lead, and finished second three weeks ago. (7) Moonlight Drive was a debut winner on the front end at 6-1 in April at Aqueduct. (12) Punto Forty moves from California to the barn of Linda Rice and faces NY-bred competition for the first time.

7^th race [OC 45k/SAL, 1 1/16 mi TURF] – (1) Complex Agenda (A) returned from a three-month layoff, set a contested pace, and missed by a head while finishing well clear of the rest of the field. (4) Mo Kreesa (B) was rank at the break, the rider lost an iron, and he was second. (2) Salt Spartan had one race after a winter layoff in a NY-bred allowance race that was meant for the turf but went on a sloppy, sealed track and finished third. (7) Final Denile will make his first start of the year and hit the board three times in similar spots.

9^th race [OC 20k/SAL 16k, 6 ½ F] – (12) Shoot the Nickel (B) went five wide, finished second well clear of the rest of the field, and was claimed by Linda Rice. (1) Gatsby returns from a January layoff when he ran third in a similar spot on a muddy and sealed track. (6) Secured Landing was taken from his last four races where he won the three most recent including a $32,000 claimer two weeks ago. (9) Forgiving Spirit finished in the top three each time that he ran in comparable races.

Best bets: Soaring Spirit (2^nd); Shoot the Nickel (9^th). Best value: On the Ledge (5^th); Complex Agenda (7^th).