Top pick: #7 (WICKED STRONG) (7-2) - I've liked this son of "Hard Spun" right along and thought he may have been best when beaten just under two lengths in the "Belmont Stakes" (G1) June 7th. Given some time to recover and with the addition of blinkers, he was a sharp winner of the 1 1/8th "Jim Dandy" stakes (G2) here on July 26th. He's worked well since and gets a slight edge in this historic race.
2nd pick: #2 (Bayern) (2-1) - Very speedy and very dangerous. He's won two in a row with ease and last out was an impressive wire-to-wire winner of the $1,000,000 "Haskell Invitational" (G1) at Monmouth Park July 27th. Late developer ships east after some fast works at Del Mar and he'll be a handful on the front end. Strong win candidate.
3rd pick: #6 (Tonalist) (3-1) - "Belmont Stakes" hero tried his best but had to settle for second to "Wicked Strong" here in the "Jim Dandy" July 26th. Colt by "Tapit" has enough early speed to stay close up, but will need a careful ride from Joel Rosario to win this.
4th pick: #4 (V. E. Day) (15-1) - He's from the same barn (Jimmy Jerkens) as "Wicked Strong" and this late developer enters this with three wins in a row. He took the local "Curlin stakes" going 9-furlongs July 25th and this strong finisher looks like he has a bright future.
5th pick: #3 (Charge Now) (15-1) - WinStar home bred was only a "head" back of "V E Day" last out and earned a career best figure that afternoon. Working well since and his trainer, "Hall of Famer" Bill Mott, knows a thing or two about winning big races.