Top pick: #2 (COACH INGE) (7-5) - The probable favorite he exits a solid effort on Nov. 20 when he chased the pace and held to finish second racing at this level and distance. The figure earned was high and this Pletcher trainee is the horse to beat.
2nd pick: #4 (Ice Cutter) (5-1) - Grey colt by "Medaglia d'Oro" cost $370K as a yearling and raced evenly when debuting in a turf contest on Nov. 13. Trainer Chris Clement (20% second time out) moves him to the dirt for this attempt. Factors in this spot.
3rd pick: #1 (Entry of 1-Point Hope & 1a-Lookingoutforyou) (2-1) - At scratch time both halves of this Linda Rice entry were still running. "Point Hope" has a solid late kick and has been in with some tougher fields than this in most of his starts. "Lookingforyou" races first off a Rice claim and a seven week freshening. When last in action he finished second going 7 furlongs at Keeneland for a $40K tag.