Top pick: #2 (MIDNIGHT BELLE) (9-2) - Well bred filly is stretching out in distance and making back-to-back starts, both for the first time. $400,000 daughter of 'Bernardini' chased and tired here to finish 5th of 12, beaten 7-lengths at this level going 6-furlongs July 16. It was her first since debuting a year ago and she's been working fast since. Three-year-old meets a weak field and Bejarano stays aboard.
2nd pick: #1 (Madam AaMoura) (7-2) - Freshened up since June 21, filly has some impressive works showing for her return. Stalker has the rail, and is moving from turf to dirt. From the Baffert barn, Zayat home bred has been competitive in all her starts on conventional dirt 3-0-1-2. Win candidate.
3rd pick: #5 (Sturdy One) (5-1) - Lightly-raced filly just missed at this level going 6-furlongs on the Los Alamitos dirt July 2. She tired here in her follow up start when she had to be sent hard from an inside post in a large field 912) going 6.5-furlongs. Working well since that Aug 1 run, trainer Eric Kruljac has her going around 2-turns for the first time. Contends today at a square price.
4th pick: #4 (California Curl) (4-1) - Another that's stretching out in distance, she rallied to finish second here going 6.5-furlongs Aug 7. The field was a weak one and the final time was slow. However, daughter of 'Curlin' has worked fast since. Mixed signals being sent. Believe a minor award may be her ceiling.