Top pick: #2 (MEMORY KEEPER) (7-2) - Home bred is one of four making their debuts this afternoon. Gelding by the successful "Freud" is working steadily and had a bullet 5-furlong work at Belmont on Jan. 12. Trainer Tom Morley recently had him gelded and has Irad Ortiz Jr. aboard.
2nd pick: #4 (Shore to Party) (6-1) - Colt sold for $110K last April as a 2-year-old in training. He raced evenly from a tough outside post when debuting in a 5-furlong grass sprint in Florida in late Nov. Underrated barn (Jay Servis) switches him to the dirt, adds blinkers, and has him in with fellow New York breds. Win candidate.
3rd pick: #5 (Boldlee) (10-1) - Price play has been freshened up since Nov. 12. He has some early speed and has been competitive in three of his four starts. Barn adds Lasix, switches him back to the dirt, and shortens him up in distance.
4th pick: #1 (Lehigh Five) (5-2) - Another of the debuting quartet, home bred has been training steadily right here at Aqueduct since early Nov. He has the rail, Jose Ortiz aboard, and trainer Rick Violette Jr. wins at an excellent 40% (10 for 25) over the past year with first time starters.