Top pick: #2 (LADY ELI) (2-1) - Undefeated (5-for-5) filly faces her toughest task to date in this $1,000,000 invitational. She won her seasonal bow here in a $200K stakes going 9-furlongs May 31. Three-year-old looked beaten in the final 1/8th but found running room late and was up to score by a 1/2 length in a 3-horse blanket photo. She should move forward in her 2nd back and hopefully jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. will keep her closer to the pace.
2nd pick: #7 (Consumer Credit) (12-1) - Daughter of 'More Than Ready' is from the same barn (Chad Brown) as 'Lady Eli'. Consistent sort is a three-time stakes winner on the grass and might have won the G1 American Oaks last out at Hollywood Park with a better ride. A win candidate today at a big price.
3rd pick: #10 (Outstanding) (6-1) - Irish invader is from the loaded yard of Aidan O'Brien and filly by 'Galileo' is clearly improving. She's won two in a row her native country and has more early speed than most European runners. Dangerous today.
4th pick: #4 (Itsonlyacting Dad) (15-1) - Lightly-raced filly is the lone representative from the Pletcher barn. Speed/stalker was only 1 1/2 lengths back of 'Lady Eli' last out and has been working fast on the Saratoga training track.
5th pick: #1 (Pine Needles) (20-1) - The main speed, daughter of 'Giant's Causeway' has the rail. Highly competitive in all four starts, she's gone 4-2-1-1 to date and has never been beaten more than a half-length. Expect her to be in this a long ways at a big price.