TOP PICK: #2 CHAMPAGNE ROSE (6/1)

HORSES FOR EXACTA OR TRIFECTA WAGERING 5-STEEL BUTTERFLY 5/2 Hit the board in 8 of her last 11 starts and just ran out of ground when a rallying 2nd to the favored winner Feb 10. The problem is that all 8 of those finishes in the money were runner-up efforts.

1-MINOR'S GOLD 7/2 Won for this tag Nov 12. Gets a needed drop in class while almost ‘claim proof’ at age 8.

6-MARQUET RATE 4/1 Hit the board in her last two starts and also won at this class level and distance Dec 1. Upon returning from a 3-month layoff in October this filly reeled off five straight races where she finished first or 2nd, steadily climbing the class ladder. She won her Nov 21 and Dec 18 races by a combined 14 lengths, then was a better-than-looks 2nd in her first start over this track Jan 22. She rallied against a stiff speed bias that day behind a front-running winner, then stepped up in class Feb 19 but had no chance to rally against the strongest speed bias of the meet. She now drops down to a more realistic class level and sheds weight with a decent apprentice. Should sit close to the pace.