Top pick: #4 (SUCCESSFUL SONG) (7-5) - Live Oak home-bred really stepped it up in 2012 going 7-2-2-2 after coming back from a 4 1/2 month layoff in late May. She comes into this off a stakes win here going a flat mile on Dec. 30 and will be stretching back out in distance. She's finished second in both tries at this 9-furlong trip, and interestingly enough in a field of veteran Florida-breds, she's the inly one entered who has won on this dirt in the past.
2nd pick: #1 (My Pal Christie) (3-1) - Speedy mare raced evenly last out when finishing third in the same stakes here won by "Successful Song." Never any real threat that afternoon, her inside post and ability to stay close makes her a player.
3rd pick: #5 (Speak Easy Gal) (5-2) - She's clearly the main speed, but most all of her success has come on the turf. However, she has won on the dirt before (4-1-1-0) and old-timer is in a barn (Marty Wolfson) that specializes in winning stakes.
5th pick: #7 (Mud Honey) (6-1) - Claimed here on Dec. 16 by New York regular Rudy Rodriguez for $17,500 and he probably had this stakes in mind. Consistent facing cheaper, she has a flexible style, and the day she was claimed, mare finished second her facing "open" company going a mile.