Top pick: #4 (STARRY SHARK) (2-1) - Lightly-raced five-year-old Cal.-bred stretches out after rallying to check in third here in a sprint facing much tougher on Jan. 28. Speed/stalker meets a very weal field and comes from the barn of leading trainer Bob Diodoro. The horse to beat.
2nd pick: #6 (Awfully Lucky) (3-1) - One-run type also is taking a big drop after finishing 6th of 9, beaten 9 lengths here in a $35K stakes on Dec. 31. Blinkers go on and this 4-year-old is a strong win candidate.
3rd pick: #2 (Smart Masterpiece) (4-1) - He has absolutely no early speed, but generally makes up ground late and has enough talent to get a share of this. His only shot at the win is if a fast and/or contested pace were to develop.
4th pick: #3 (Sunsoleil) (4-1) - Another with no early speed, he drops down and moves back to the dirt following a pair of poor efforts on the grass facing tougher. A small slice is his ceiling.