Top pick: #12 (GIANTINTHEMOONLIITE) (7-2) - Home bred son of "Giant's Causeway" has a speed/stalking style and lightly raced colt finished a "game" second here at this level and distance on Sept. 18. He's been given five weeks to recover, is working fast, and can take this despite a tough outside post.
2nd pick: #4 (Leroy Jr) (5-1) - Very fast from the gate, lightly-raced gelding is moving from turf to dirt in his third start back from a long layoff (eight months). Five-year-old has gone 2-1-1-0 on the main track in the past and is working fast for this attempt. His regular rider (Castellano) stays aboard and this Chad Brown trained runner is a strong win candidate.
3rd pick: #10 (Ogermeister) (6-1) - Gelding by the tough "Silver Train" has finished second in two straight at this level, the latest coming here at this trip on a muddy surface Sept. 22. Stalker always comes to run and the pace here should be fast, aiding his style.
4th pick: #6 (Groupthink) (4-1) - Speed/stalker is from the same barn as "Leroy" (Chad Brown) and he's gone 4-0-3-1 at this level since returning from a 7 1/2 month layoff on July 19th. Colt has been beaten narrowly in his last pair, is working nicely, and Brown runs him with blinkers off.
5th pick: #1 (American Creed) (15-1) - Away since June 4th, colt was a winner here that day facing "open" high level starter-allowance foes at this distance. Well bred 3-year-old has been sharp in all his starts this year 4-2-2-0, has the rail, and can factor at a big price if ready off almost a five month vacation.