Top pick: #1 (LEWIS MICHAEL) - Highly thought of by his connections, the high octane duo of owner Frank Calabrese and trainer Wayne Catalano. He's had in effect two careers, one before his polytrack days and the one since. He was a solid runner earlier in his career, but has really blossomed with the shift to artificial surfaces. Won a 7-furlong race at Del Mar in his 2nd start in a year and they've been pointing him for this since. Working sharply and draws the rail. The choice at a square price in a great betting race.
2nd pick: #7 (Albertus Maximus) - Solid runner is coming off his two best ever and they came off a two month break in his training. Under-rated barn (Vlad Cerin) knows how to win big races and this colt will be making his third start off the freshening (often a horse's best). Working "lights out" in the past 3 weeks and he has already run a very good race on this surface. Dangerous foe.
3rd pick: #8 (Well Armed) - World traveler has raced in England, the mid-East, and now the West Coast. Tracked a fast pace in the "Goodwood" and proved best with a game score. That win makes him one of only two entered with a win on this relatively new surface. Tractable style and has proven that he loves "synthetics" (8-5-2-0). Very dangerous.
4th pick: #4 (Mast Track) - Tired in the "Goodwood" on this surface after contesting a very fast pace from a poor post (10). In the capable barn of Bob Frankel, he'll be going third off a layoff and is a strong front-end threat.