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

4^th race [Alw 110000 N1X, 6F] – (1) Sarir (B) got checked early in her last start in June and rallied to get third. (5) Roswell returned from a winter layoff last month to run second after having to check with a stumble at the start. (3) Paula’s a Star was last seen running fourth in the Jersey Girl at Saratoga last month. (6) Strong State was off for nine months and came back to win a starter allowance at Churchill Downs.

5^th race [OC 75k/N2X, 1 1/16 mi TURF] – (7) Itsallcomintogetha (C) was bet down from 5-1 to 3-1 when he pressed the pace, got to the lead, and ended up third in a NY-bred stakes race at Saratoga in June. (1) Clear Conscience and (1A) Rhetorical make an ownership entry where both are win contenders. (2) Oh Really was a winner of a first-level allowance at Churchill in his first start on the turf. (8) Activist Investing came back from a 16-month layoff for Chad Brown at Gulfstream Park in February and ran a close second.

6^th race [Alw 110000 N1X, 1 3/16 mi TURF] – (2) Curlin’s Angel (A) was an open-length debut winner after rallying from last at the Saratoga June meeting. (6) Alimara hit the board three times this year in first-level allowances. (4) Wrigleyville was third in two starts this year in Florida and then Saratoga in the June meeting. (10) Celtic Charm showed promise in her two starts as a 2-year-old in Kentucky and changes to the Mott barn.

12^th race [Alw 110000 N1X, 7F] – (3) Vekoma Rides (A) looked like a horse that needed a race following a six-month layoff and finished third. Blinkers go on for the colt that was second in the Nashua in November. (6) Stars and Strides won his debut at Saratoga in June. (11) Singleminded was a nine-length winner at Monmouth Park moving from turf to dirt. (12) Rookie Card did not appreciate a sloppy and sealed track in his 2025 debut.

Best bets:  Itsallcomintogetha (5^th); Curlin’s Angel (6^th). Best value:  Sarir (4^th); Vekoma Rides (12^th).

Saturday Pick 3 Special --
The Saturday Special $1 Pick 3 covers races 4-6. à 1, 3, 5, 6 with (1/1A), 2, 7, 8 with 2 = $16.