Top pick: #5 (TWIRLING CANDY) - An emerging star as this lightly race 4yo by "Candy Ride" has shown ability from day one when he scored in his debut at Hollywood park in Nov. of 2009. Since July of last year he's won 4 of 5, all stakes, and in his lone loss he finished a close-up 4th in the G1 Goodwood, a race where he was a bit rank. He's two for two on real dirt, both locally, a hard-fought win in the G1 Malibu going 7 furlongs here Dec.26th, then was an easy winner last out going 1 1/8th miles here in the G2 Strub. Continues to train fast and today he faces the toughest test yet of his career. Think he's up to the task.
2nd pick: #8 (First Dude) - Strange career as he's only one won race but last year he placed in 5 Grade 1 stakes, including the Blue Grass, Preakness, Belmont, Haskell, and Pennsylvania Derby. He finished a "troubled" 4th in his seasonal debut at Gulfstream in the $500K Sunshine Millions Classic and races today off a trainer switch to Todd Pletcher. Training fast locally for this and he's a strong win candidate in this spot.
3rd pick: #11 (Game on Dude) - Lightly raced, well-bred, talented colt won here on Jan.27th in his first race since finishing a close-up 4th in the Belmont Stakes (G1) last June. Working fast for this and John Velazquez comes here from Gulfstream for the mount. He's one of 4 horses entered by trainer Bob Baffert in this $750,000 stakes and they all run as separate betting interests.
4th pick: #2 (Spurrier) - Another of the Baffert foursome and he has a fine overall record on conventional dirt. Consistent strong finisher draws a ground-saving post and is working bullets for this.