Top pick: #9 (TALKING MAMBO) (3-1) - He's finished third in both starts at this meet and each has come at this level. He did not break cleanly last out from the rail post and the move out in the gate is a big plus. The horse to beat.
2nd pick: #3 (Dust in Zahn) (5-2) - Freshened up since late October, gelding is working fast locally and runs first off a private trainer change to Bob Diodoro. He's the leading trainer at this meet, wins at a 27% rate with new arrivals, and at a 25% clip off of this length of layoff.
3rd pick: #7 (Tactical Strike) (5-1) - "Nibbler" raced evenly here in the same last race as "Talking Mambo" and was only 2 1/2 back of him at the finish. It was his first start in two months and he had been competitive in four straight at Emerald Downs prior to the break. Unless he improves the top two selections are much more likely to win this.
4th pick: #8 (Boomwacker) (9-2) - Not a win candidate, but this Cal-bred gelding comes off back-to-back career bests here and could grab a minor award with a repeat of either of those efforts.