Top pick: #3 (VERRAZANO) (5-2) - Speed/stalker has only been sub-par once in winning 6-of-7 starts and comes into this off a very impressive score in the (G1) "Haskel Invitational" at Monmouth on July 28th. The "figure" he earned that day was one of the best of any age in recent years and trainer Todd Pletcher has kept him sharp with a pair of local drills heading into this attempt.
2nd pick: #9 (Transparent) (12-1) - Price play is lightly raced, beautifully-bred, and comes off a career best when he "won" the $100k "Curlin" stakes going 1 1/8th miles on July 26th, but he was subsequently disqualified. The race was his first since April 4th and this $725K colt by "Bernardini" is set for a big effort.
3rd pick: #8 (Palace Malice) - At this point in time, colt by "Curlin" is the leader in the 3-year-old division off of back-to-back wins in the "Belmont Stakes" (G1) and the "Jim Dandy" (G2) here July 27th. That was a career best and made him a perfect 2-for-2 on this surface.
4th pick: #2 (Orb) (4-1) - The "Kentucky Derby" (G1) hero has been freshened up since rallying to finish third to "Malice" in the "Belmont Stakes." He's working nicely for trainer "Shug" McGaughey and is the only horse entered who has won at this 1 1/4 distance in the past. However, he gives away an important recency edge to the top three picks.