Top pick: #3 (JOHANNESBURG SMILE) - Home-bred loves this surface(6-2-2-1) and this particular distance (8-3-2-2). Colt by "Johannesburg" has a speed/stalking style, has beaten better than these in the past, and has a near bullet work for this on this surface a week ago. The top selection.
2nd pick: #7 (Smokin Hero) - As consistent as they come and he'll stretch back out in distance after a third-place finish at Saratoga in a $75K stakes going 7 furlongs August 26. Race was his first in 70 days and in his previous start he defeated "Smile" by a 1/2 length here June 19. Working fast, loves wet tracks (6-2-2-1), and is a win candidate.
3rd pick: #4 (Mine Over Matter) - He hasn't won since the fall of last year but tries hard every time and earlier this year at Aqueduct he finished second in a small stakes and was two lengths in front of "Smile" on the wire. The faster the pace, the better his chances.