Top pick: #7 (NOTMYFIRSTTIME) (3-1) - In the Jacobson barn, son of "Scat Daddy" set a pressured pace and held to finish second at this tag & trip on Dec. 6th. Positive effort came off a 70-day break, and this speed stalker is the horse to beat.
2nd pick: #5 (Wee Freudian) (7-2) - Veteran was re-claimed by Linda Rice in early October, and given a seven-week freshening. Gelding ran second in his return effort on Nov. 20th, and strong finisher has more wins on this inner-surface (3), than the rest of this field combined (1).
3rd pick: #2 (Saint Arthur) (4-1) - Lightly raced and speedy, son of "Breeder's Cup Classic" winner "Invasor" won a $50K sprint stakes this past June at Finger Lakes, and was given almost a five-month rest by trainer Carlos Martin. 3yo tired after setting a quick & contentious pace in his return on Nov. 9th, and has been training fast since.
4th pick: #3 (Verbosity) (5-1) - He tries hard every time, and is running today off a 8 1/2 month layoff. Training fine, and gelding has been competitive many times on this surface without winning (7-0-3-2).