Top pick: #6 (PRESENT COURSE) (3-1) - Well-bred gelding runs first off a Mike Maker claim (a 26% winning angle), and as he's done consistently at this meeting, he brings him back at half the purchase price. Four-year-old by "Bernardini" had some traffic issues when finishing fourth the day he was claimed and has worked fast twice since. The horse to beat.
2nd pick: #4 (Old Brownsboro) (10-1) - Grey gelding has been freshened up by trainer Ian Wilkes since finishing second in late May at Churchill Downs racing for twice this price on the main-track. He's been in steady training here since mid-July and is bred to like the turf, which he'll be trying for the first time.
3rd pick: #7 (Acadian Connection) (20-1) - Longshot drops after tiring in his last pair facing tougher following his return from a three month layoff on June 15th. He was in fine form last winter at Gulfstream and is a strong factor at a big price with a repeat of any of those efforts.
4th pick: #2 (Ryvit) (8-1) - Speedy sort makes his fourth start of this meet and has gone 3-0-1-1 so far. Six-year-old gelding by "Tapit" comes off a sharp third-place effort at this tag and trip 11 days ago and he breaks just off the rail.
5th pick: #5 (Alvear) (10-1) - Colt raced both evenly and wide when debuting here from a tough outside post (12th of 12) July 24th. Trainer J.P. Terranova stretches him out and distance and moves him to the grass this afternoon.