Top pick: #7 (CHARMING KITTEN) (5-2) - Stakes winner has been freshened up since a good effort at Hollywood park on Nov. 1. He kept nothing but the best of company last year and went 9-1-4-1, mostly in graded stakes. Working well for his return and trainer Mike Maker will add blinkers.
2nd pick: #4 (North Slope) (7-2) - Hard-hitter came to run in every start last year and finished second in a pair of turf stakes along the way. Darley runner broke his maiden on this course last Feb and has enough speed to either be on the lead or just off of it. Win candidate.
3rd pick: #2 (Calm Pacific) (4-1) - Lightly raced 4-year-old has shown a lot of ability and "grit" in his three appearances. Last out was just under a length back of "Slope" in a stakes at Belomnt on Oct. 24. Working well and this colt still has a lot of potential.