Bet this race at Diamond SportsTop pick: #4 (NEW RULES) (9-2) - She tired after setting a pressured pace to finish 7th of 10, beaten 13.5 lengths when debuting at this level and distance Sept. 29 at Churchill Downs. The filly was well backed that afternoon and runs today off some unusually fast works at the Palm Meadows Center. This daughter of 'Justin Phillip' breeze a bullet half-mile from the gate there Jan. 19 (best of 103 at the distance that morning). I like her chances.
2nd pick: #9 (Palomita) (5-2) - This filly by 'Into Mischief; is one of seven making their debuts in this contest. A $375,000 purchase, she's in the barn of Chad Brown (20% first out) and he has Javier Castellano aboard. She's been in steady training at Palm Meadows since early December and has nine purblished drills.
3rd pick: #7 (Mezcalita) (3-1) - This filly by 'Pioneer of the Nile' sold for $375K as a yearling back in Sept. of 2017. From the barn of Todd Pletcher (22% first out) this filly has breezed eight times at the Palm Beach Downs Training Center since Dec. 10. He has leading rider Luis Saez aboard and the pair has won with 39 of 150 (26%) when teamed up since the beginning of 2018.
4th pick: #5 (Sweeter Than Wine) (12-1) - Longshot debuts off a steady series of local works and it's noted that John Velazquez is aboard for a low profile barn.