Top pick: #5 (SMARTS) (3-1) - Grey gelding enters off a career best when he won by 7 1/2 lengths racing at this distance for a $6250K tag on Jan. 4. Claimed that day by Jamie Ness, he moves him up in class on a quick turnaround. New trainer wins at a 32% rate first off the claim and this veteran has the best early speed of this group.
2nd pick: #8 (Allstar) (6-1) - Sharp barn (Mark Vitali) drops him in class and switches him from turf to dirt. He's won twice on dirt in the past and has back class to call upon.
3rd pick: #6 (Gifted Ruler) (10-1) - Early speed type is another that moving from turf to dirt and dropping down in class. More than capable on the main track and he should be involved from gate-to-wire.
4th pick: #9 (Tom Kitten) (10-1) - Another member of the turf to dirt club, his lack of any early speed hurts his chances. For anything more than a minor award he'd need a fast/and or contested pace to develop.