Top pick: #4 (COPERNICUS) (8-5) - The probable favorite, he enters off a solid effort on Jan. 3. Racing in a claimer for the first time and with blinkers added, he set the pace and held well to finish second. By far a career best, it earned him the highest 'figure' any of these has earned to date. The horse to beat.
2nd pick: #3 (Cats Landing) (5-1) - Freshened up since Dec. 3, he's dropping into a claimer for the first time. He's shown early speed facing tougher and he returns off the seven week freshening a new gelding. Can factor at a square price.
3rd pick: #5 (Midnight Fletcher) (6-1) - Finger Lakes invader has no early speed but has rallied to finish second there in two of his three starts. He would need a fast and/or contested pace for any chance at the win end.
4th pick: #7 (Worbothor) (4-1) - He's raced evenly in his last facing a bit weaker. Gelding races first off a Jeremiah Englehart claim (23% wining angle) and he adds blinkers (31%). He moves him up in class and has Jose Ortiz aboard.