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.

2^nd race [Alw 120000, 1 mi TURF] – (4) Eponine (B) tossed head at the start, got bumped around, putting her farther back than usual, and still was second by a neck. (2) Accent won her first three starts and then tried a pair of stakes and finished fourth and fifth. (1) Ori was second in an allowance at Fair Grounds in March and comes back after changing to a New York trainer. (5) Make You Mine won her debut in France by five lengths more than a year ago and moves to Chad Brown.

3^rd race [Md Sp Wt, 1 1/16 mi TURF] – (3) Madeline’s Agenda (B) had to steady back to last in her debut after hitting the hedge. (7) Home Wrecker has a pair of close second-place finishes since returning from a winter break. (8) Nonconsecutivetrms ran her best race in December at Gulfstream Park and makes her 2026 debut. (6) Shelzawa was third at Saratoga in June after two second-place finishes in France.

9^th race [Belmont Derby (G1), 1 1/8 mi TURF] – (2) Bottas (A) was taken up off heels, dropped back to seventh, and went wide to get third. (8) West End Kid won his last three starts including the Pennine Ridge (G3) at Saratoga in June. (6) Pacific Avenue was third in a Group 1 at the Curragh for Charlie Appleby, Godolphin, and William Buick.  (3) Remember Mamba rallied from far back to finish second in the American Turf (G1) on Kentucky Derby weekend.

11^th race [NY, Md Sp Wt, 1 1/16 mi TURF] – (11) Silly Season (B) did not break smoothly in her first start at 4-1 and went from eighth to a close second. (1) Morning Prayer broke slowly but moved into contention, pressed the pace, took the lead, but missed by a head. (3) Lyn’s Legacy will make her first start for a barn that is excellent with first-time starters. (10) Force of Mischief dropped back in first turf try but made-up ground and gets a rider upgrade.

Best bets: Eponine (2^nd); Silly Season (11^th). Best Value: Madeline’s Agenda (3^rd); Botts (9^th).

Saturday Pick 3 Special --
Saturday Special $1 Pick 3 covers races 2-4 à 2, 4 with 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8 with 6, 8 = $24.