Top pick: #8 (HERD MENTALITY) (2-1) - Colt enters this in career best form and also has the best early speed. Colt was an 11 1/2 length winner at Belmont at this tag to clear the 2L condition on Sept. 11th. 4yo followed that up with a pace setting second place finish there on Oct. 3rd facing 25K foes in his first at this 3l level. Trainer Steve Asmussen drops him down, and he's the horse to beat.
2nd pick: #3 (Ludo Bagman) (9-2) - He won here on the inner surface March 1 at this tag in his first off a Dave Jacobson claim. On the shelf since, New York bred has back class and is a dangerous rival if ready off the long layoff.
3rd pick: #1 (Awesome Heart) (8-1) - Claimed in late Sept. by Rene Araya for $12.5K, gelding ran evenly in a Belmont grass sprint for twice the purchase price on Oct. 13th in his first for the new barn. Drops, moves back to the dirt, draws the rail, and he's the only one running with a win here on the Aqu main track in the past.