Top pick: #7 (SILVER TORCH) (5-2) - Equally adept on grass or "poly" he missed by a "nose" on the Santa Anita turf at this level and distance just 17 days ago. Stalker had broken his maiden in his previous start and had finished second here on this surface in back-to-back starts prior to that. Stalker draws outside of the speed and is the horse to beat.
2nd pick: #5 (Mistaken Identity) (8-1) - Longshot is stretching out in distance and moving from grass to synthetic for this attempt. Only beaten three lengths last out, it was his first off a Len Powell claim and a subsequent two month freshening. Working very fast for this and a threat at a square price.
3rd pick: #6 (Anxious Times) (6-1) - One of two entered by trainer Rick Mandella, son of "Tiznow" was an impressive maiden winner on the Santa Anita dirt Oct 13. He's working nicely since and speed/stalker must be left in the mix.
4th pick: #4 (Shackleford Banks) (5-1) - The second of the Mandella pair, he also is trying winners for the first time. Improving sort moves way up in class but is working fine and is a threat if he can handle the "poly" surface.