Top pick: #8 (FOURSEVENTEEN) - Gelding is clearly a much better horse on the turf (7-2-1-2) and he comes into this off a sharp third-place finish at this level going two-turns on the Aqueduct infield April 11th. That effort came off almost a three month break and trainer Rick Dutrow will cut him back in distance and Ramon Dominguez climbs aboard for the first time.
2nd pick: #3 (Thunder Harbor) - Lightly-raced son of "Rockport Harbor" ships here from Keeneland and will be facing fellow New York-breds for only the second time in his career. Colt is (3-0-2-0) on the turf, all coming facing tougher "open" company at the Fair Grounds. Major factor.
3rd pick: #11 (Rudy Rudy Rudy) - The clear speed and he had a nice "prep" for this when he chased and finished third in a 5-furlong sprint at Pimlico April 14th. Race was his first since late November and this speedy gelding has finished second in 3-of-4 starts on this grass course.