Top pick: #4 (INIMITABLE ROMANEE) (6-1) - Consistent sort tries hard every time and was only beaten a "neck" by today's rival "Shakeira" last out at Belmont in the $125K "Mt. Vernon" stakes. She has more early speed than both that foe "Hessonite" and is working fast at Fair Hill for this attempt. If she's ever going to win a stakes, her fine tactical speed can get the job done today at a square price.
2nd pick: #3 (Hessonite) (7-5) - Veteran won the (G3) "Beaugay" over "open" company at Aqu. in her seasonal debut on May 4th, but has been sub-par in her last pair. Trainer Dave Donk moves her back in with fellow state-breds today and this daughter of "Freud" is 3-of-4 on this surface (all stakes). Major win threat, but at a short price.
3rd pick: #5 (Shakeira) (2-1) - Strong finisher is 16-7-6-2 on the turf and has gone 3-2-1-0 on this course in the past. Mare has won both starts since returning from a 5 month layoff in late April and is an obvious win candidate.
4th pick: #6 (Mystic City) (15-1) - Mare ships in from Presque Isle Downs where she won a $100K stakes facing "open" company racing on their synthetic surface. Speed/stalker finished second here last year to "Hessonite" in the $150K "Yaddo" stakes and may grab a small slice at a very big price.