Top pick: #8 (HANALEI HAILEY) (3-1) - Speedy Gulfstream shipper had very tough posts in both starts there and tired in each after chasing quick paces. Heavily backed at the windows, this $625K daughter of "Malibu Moon" was working fast at Palm Meadows before heading north and is the horse to beat.
2nd pick: #6 (Magsamelia) (8-1) - One of two fillies from trainer Gary Contessa and the pair race uncoupled. Daughter of "Mineshaft" finished a close up third after setting the pace when debuting last July at Saratoga and is working nicely at Belmont for her return.
3rd pick: #5 (J Quirk) (8-1) - The second of the Contessa pair, she finished second when debuting at Saratoga last July and tired at Gulfstream on March 16th when returning from an eight month layoff. She had a tough outside post that afternoon, draws better today, and has some fast recent drills.
4th pick: #9 (Smashing) (2-1) - Another daughter of "Malibu Moon," she finished an even third in a small field (5) at Gulfstream March 20th, following some traffic trouble just out of the gate. Peter Blum home-bred has a pair of sharp works at Belmont since arriving on Long Island and must be left in the mix.
5th pick: #3 (Predicate) (20-1) - She's gone 8-0-2-3 on the dirt racing at various distances and finished second here going a mile in early Nov. May grab a share at long odds.