Bet this race at Diamond SportsTop pick: #3 (U S S COLTON) (4-1) - He's dropping down in class, switching back to the dirt, and is shortening up in distance. Well beaten in both starts facing tougher, he has a pair of good half-mile breezes since his latest (April 9), and this 3yo by 'Speightstown' meets a weak field. I give him a slight edge.
2nd pick: #6 (Captain Duke) (7-2) - A lightly raced gelding by 'Midshipman,' he tired to miss by almost nine lengths after setting a pressured pace when debuting here for a $12,500 tag April 3. Claimed that day by Jorge Delgado, he's won with nine of 45 (20%) off that transaction since Jan. 1 of 2019, and he's worked him four times since, including a bullet half-mile April 25. Irad Ortiz, Jr. is aboard, and I could have easily made this 3yo the top selection.
3rd pick: #7 (Sudden Capture) (6-1) - This colt raced evenly while never involved when debuting here in a grass sprint facing tougher Sept. 13. On the sidelines since, he's working steadily, takes a big drop, switches to the dirt, and has blinkers on. Trainer Ed Plesa, Jr. has solid stats in all the relevant categories, and this Florida-bred is dangerous at a square price if ready.
4th pick: #8 (Tiger's Back) (5-2) - Even paced in all three starts facing tougher, this $370,000 son of 'Ghostzapper' can be claimed today for $16,000. He caught very talented fields in his first two sprints before an okay effort when going 8.5 furlongs on the grass April 30. Back on a quick turnaround, trainer Dale Romans has Luis Saez aboard for the first time.