Top pick: #8 (BATTLE SCHOOL) - The probable favorite is brought back on 11 days for this by trainer Doug O'Neill. Gelding ran evenly in that Hollywood Park contest facing a bit tougher and it was his first race since Dec. 10. Stalker meets a weak field and is the horse to beat.4yo is one of two entered by O'Neill and the pair will race as separate interests.
2nd pick: #5 (Red Scare) - He has ability but has been his "own worst enemy" on several occasions. Gelding likes to fight his rider, and to help remedy that, trainer Carla Gaines will add blinkers today. Home-bred has speed and is a win threat on the front-end at a nice price.
3rd pick: #1 (One Nation) - The 2nd of the O'Neill duo has had "trouble" in his last pair and will drop out of an entry-level allowance into a $25K claimer. Well-bred and expensive ($425K) he has the rail, some talent, and runs at a new low.