Top pick: #5 (SHARED BELIEF) (4-5) - He's 9-for-10 overall and may have entered undefeated if not for his troubled fourth-place finish in the controversial Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) here on Nov .1. Gelding can be placed anywhere by Mike Smith, and his reputation has limited this contest to mostly a sub-par quality field. The horse to beat.
2nd pick: #6 (Moreno) (6-1) - Next to "Belief" he has the best resume and is nearing the $2M mark in earnings. Speedball is working fast and doesn't line up against much other pace. Has a fighting chance if left alone in the early stages.
3rd pick: #1 (Cool Samurai) (30-1) - Very lightly-raced, he enters off a second-place finish to a talented runner in "Midnight Hawk on Feb. 6. Moss home bred has tactical speed, breaks from the rail, and can grab a share at a big price.
4th pick: #12 (Catch a Flight) (12-1) - Argentine import has won 7-of-12 overall and has run well in both local starts since coming from South America in early summer. Capable of getting a piece of this at long odds.
5th pick: #10 (Imperative) (20-1) - He was in career best form at this time last year but he's slipped considerably since then. A trip to Japan in early Dec. was probably a big mistake and he needs to turn it around.