Top pick: #4 (BEYOND EMPIRE) (3-1) - Gelding rallied to finish second here at this level and distance May 24th and did so from a tough outside post. He followed that up with and even fourth-place run on June 19th a contest where he broke through the gate prior to the start. He had a sharp half-mile breeze on the morning of July 6th and is the horse to beat.
2nd pick: #2 (Jesse's Giant Dunk) (5-1) - "Jesse" is one of two multiple winners entered and was scratched out of a similar spot two weeks ago. One-run type defeated $16k open 2l claimers on May 25th and was claimed that day by Jeremiah Englehart. That was a career best effort and the figure earned makes him very dangerous if repeatable.
3rd pick: #1 (Four Directions) (5-2) - Broman home bred comes off a career best figure when he broke his maiden here going a mile on June 22nd. It was his second off a seven week freshening and first in blinkers. Lightly-raced, still improving, and he must be left in the mix.
4th pick: #5 (Petrocelli) (6-1) - Clearly the main speed, he set a quick pace and tired late to finish third here at this level going a mile on June 19th. It was his first start in five months and gelding has worked fast since. His early speed makes him dangerous if allowed to get an uncontested lead.