Top pick: #2 (SLEEK) (3-1) - Broman home bred has been training steadily for her first since a wide & even effort on the Saratoga turf Aug. 8. Daughter of "Bernardini" has early speed, switches from grass to dirt, and a very sharp half-mile breeze here on Sept. 23 suggests she's ready off the 2 1/2 month break.
2nd pick: #3 (Manner of Speaking) (4-1) - Daughter of top grass sire "Langfuhr" is racing second off an 11-month layoff and is racing on dirt for the first time. Home bred ran evenly following a troubled start when going 7-furlongs on the local turf Sept. 11 and is a win candidate if she handles the new surface.
3rd pick: #9 (Escape to Malibu) (12-1) - Daughter of "Malibu Moon" is another switching to the dirt after a pair of grass starts to begin her career. She showed improved speed last out and had a fine local half-mile work on Oct. 2. Contends today.
4th pick: #8 (Confessa) (8-1) - One of two entered by trainer Danny Gargan, and the pair race uncoupled. Filly ran evenly here on the grass on Sept. 18 in her first since July 30th at Saratoga when she finished second on the dirt for a $40K tag. Barn moves her back to the main track, and she fits with this group.