Top pick: #8 (CIELO SOLEGGIATO) (6-1) - Price play is lightly raced, well-bred, and will be dropping into a claimer for the first time. Gelding by "Sky Mesa" showed some ability at Belmont June 15th in his first in five months and first ever on the grass. Working fine and I like his chances.
2nd pick: #6 (Rakete) (7-2) - He's faced only special weights in his ten race career and will be dropping into a claimer for the first time. Home-bred has been racing evenly facing the tougher competition and against this group he's a strong win candidate.
3rd pick: #3 (Fiddler's Chico) (5-1) - New York-bred did not break sharply last out and raced evenly while wide at this level going a mile. He draws a good post, has blinkers added, and must be left in the mix.
4th pick: #4 (Horse Latitudes) (9-2) - Improving sort has fine early speed and tired late after setting a pressured pace here when facing slightly better on Aug. 1. Encouraging effort was off a 70 day freshening and colt by "Stormy Atlantic" should be involved from gate-to-wire.
5th pick: #2 (Distater Relief) (15-1) - Longshot raced evenly at Belmont on July 6th when facing state-bred special weights in his first off a private trainer change to Jay Servis. Bred to love this 1 1/8th mile trip and he draws a ground saving post.