Top pick: #7 (BE BULLISH) (3-1) - Dave Jacobson has had a strong meet after winning the trainer's title at the spring/summer Belmont session. He claimed this veteran at Belmont for $25K on July 14th and has this 13-time winner beautifully spotted today. Stalker should get a solid pace to rally into, and this former stakes winner has beaten many fields tougher than this.
2nd pick: #11 (Marriedtothemusic) (5-2) - He's the in-shape speed and comes off a pace-setting second-place finish here in the $95k "Claramount" stakes on Aug. 7. Obvious win candidate, he's also the probable favorite, and I almost made him the top choice.
3rd pick: #1 (Dr Figawi) (18-1) - He was an impressive maiden when debuting in early Dec. at Aqueduct, but did not race agin until July 29th when he raced evenly here while encountering all sorts of trouble in a grass sprint. His trainer (George Weaver) has had a great meet and switches this colt by "Stormy Atlantic" back to the dirt.
4th pick: #9 (Kid Blast) (12-1) - Longshot runs second off several layoffs after racing evenly while wide in his return. Gelding has some talent, is working fast, and trainer Bruce Levine has him making back-to-back starts for the first time since late in 2012.
5th pick: #8 (Meet the Mets) (151) - He's raced himself back into shape since returning from a 6 1/2 month layoff in early May. He just missed here when facing weaker on Aug. 4 and is training fast since. Don't just dismiss.