Bet this race at Diamond SportsTop pick: #2 (MOHAYMEN) (6-5) - Undefeated (3 for 3) son of 'Tapit' is working fast at Palm Meadows for his 3-year-old debut. $2,200,000 yearling showed a lot of grit in his three wins, surviving pressure and less than perfect trips in a pair of stakes wins. Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin is one not to hand out praise without proof, and he says this grey colt has really progressed in his professionalism over the past two months.
2nd pick: #4 (Conquest Big E) (4-1) - Lightly-raced grey colt is another son of 'Tapit.' Stalker went 4-2-1-0 as a 2-year-old and in his only 'off the board' effort he was beaten just under five lengths in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) Nov 28 at Keeneland. Training very fast at Palm Meadows and can factor in this spot.
3rd pick: #5 (Greenpointcrusader) (2-1) - I liked him in last November's Breeders' Cup Juvenile(G1) but thought he received a very poor ride. $575K son of 'Bernardini' had won the Champagne Stakes (G1) in his previous start and had done so impressively. Working steadily at Palm Meadows, trainer Dom Schettino has John Velazquez aboard for the first time.