Top pick: #8 (HOOK AND LATERAL) - Improving home-bred ships up from Monmouth where he set the pace and stayed on gamely to run third going a mile in the mud for $20K. Faces fellow New York-breds today, and will cut back in distance. He just failed two back at Saratoga and this gelding handles off going. The top pick.
2nd pick: #2 (Flo's Greatness) - He raced close up and weakened a bit in his debut facing similar and this afternoon draws the rail and has Dominguez aboard. Gelding has a fast work nine days ago and looks set for a big effort.
3rd pick: #9 (Cup of Cee) - First-timer from the Rick Dutrow barn has a steday and about average work tab dating back to August. Debuting son of "Wildcat Heir" need not be much to factor here.