Bet this race at Diamond SportsTop pick: #6 (ROOM FOR ME) (3-1) - Trainer Dave Jacobson has won the title the past two years on the NYRA circuit for number of wins, but is 0 for 10 at this meet after shipping a large division west. This hard hitting mare has won 9 of 16 when racing on real dirt and is a stakes winner many times over. Stalker has been facing the best of her age on the east coast for the past year and can won three of four here earlier in her career. The horse to beat.
2nd pick: #2 (Ben's Duchess) (5-2) - Stalker pressed and tired here to finish fourth at this distance in a G1 stakes Dec 26. it was her first in 80 days and she's worked fast since. Win candidate should be involved from start-to-finish.
3rd pick: #7 (Living the Life) (6-1) - Veteran mare has never won in three starts on real dirt, but finished second in a G2 stakes on it last summer at Los Alamitos. Stretch runner is capable of impacting, but the top two picks are more likely to win this.
4th pick: #3 (Kiss At Midnight) (12-1) - No-speed type has a fine local record 8-2-4-2 and is 3-2-1-0 at this distance. Filly will need a fast and/or contested pace to make her late running style pay off.