Top pick: #7 (NEXT RIGHT) (7-2) - Gelding tired in the last furlong after setting swift fractions racing here at this level Dec. 31. It was his first since mid-March and was a race he probably needed. The horse to beat with a natural step forward in his second off the long layoff.
2nd pick: #6 (Willy Be Wild) (3-1) - Lightly-raced, he returns from a seven month layoff with a new trainer (Pete Miller) and as a new gelding. New connections have him working steadily and will drop him in class while moving him from turf to dirt.
3rd pick: #5 (Mr Itkins) (2-1) - Very quick from the gate, he's racing for the first time since Dec. 14. Working fast for this attempt $235K purchase is dropping into a claimer for the first time. Win candidate at a short price.