Top pick: #5 (MUCH STRONGER) (8-5) - Colt enters this in career best shape and will me moving up in class off a pair of wins at at Saratoga facing weaker. Stalker's only two poor efforts this year came locally going a mile on muddy surfaces. I like his chances.
2nd pick: #7 (Comandante) (6-1) - Very speedy colt runs first off a trainer change to Todd Pletcher (28% with new arrivals), and he'll cut him back a furlong and remove his blinkers after a one-race experiment. Son of "Frost Giant" has a recent bullet work and Pletcher's "main man" (John Velazquez) is aboard.
3rd pick: #1 (Island Sunset) (7-2) - Veteran sprinter drops back down a bit and draws the rail for this attempt. Strong finisher is working fine for this and should get a fast and/or contested pace to rally into.
4th pick: #3 (Leilani's Ticket) (8-1) - Speedy colt runs first off a Midwest Thoroughbred claim and a subsequent seven week freshening. He runs in the name of trainer Jamie Ness's asst. (Laura Perillo) and is a threat with his best.