Top pick: #8 (Tail Risk) (5-2) - Un-raced since early April, gelding by "Lion Heart" has been bet in all three starts facing tougher and is working fast for his return. Trainer Rick Violette drops him into a claimer for the first time and 3-year-old draws a nice post.
2nd pick: #9 (Stop Sign) (2-1) - Excellent debut here facing tougher on June 15th saw him break sharply from his inside post and run hard throughout while checking in second of nine, beaten a length going 6 furlongs. He's worked well at Monmouth since and trainer Kelly Breen has won with 8-of-16 maidens (50%) making their second starts over the past 18 months. Drops, draws a nice outside post, and is a strong win candidate.
3rd pick: #3 (River Monster) (8-1) - Nice to see him stringing starts together following a pair of layoffs and last out he finished a distant third here when facing $16K "open" company. Speed/stalker fits and should be a square price.
4th pick: #5 (Wood On the Fire) (10-1) - Lostritto home-bred gets a big make-over today after tiring badly here when debuting against state-bred special weights on June 26th. Barn drops him into a claimer, and will add both blinkers and lasix. Don't just dismiss.
5th pick: #7 (Mise En Place) (20-1) - Longshot ships from Maryland where he was in the fine barn of Ollie Figgins Jr. Home-bred has a new trainer (Jena Antonucci) and this longshot has a pair of sharp back-to-back local works showing for his first since late May.