Top pick: #4 (DESPITE THE ODDS) - Hard-hitter ships here from Monmouth after finishing second facing slightly weaker on June 14. Lightly raced the past year (4-0-3-1) he has a bullet drill here a week ago and two years ago on this surface he ran a creditable fourth in the G1 $300K King's Bishop S. Only at saratoga can you get a quality field like this at this condition. Gets a slight edge in a competitive race.
2nd pick: #8 (Dark Thunder) - Very lightly raced 4-year-old by "Trippi" has won two in a row since joining the Pletcher barn. Steps up and faces much tougher today, but he's drawn outside of the speed and has stalking ability. If he holds his Belmont form he'll be a handful.
3rd pick: #6 (Spirit of Cochise) - Another in a long line of California imports for the combination of local owner Roddy Valente and trainer Bruce Levine. Veteran gelding finished second at Belmont at this level and distance June 17 and has a pair of sharp drills heading into this. Velazquez abandons for "Thunder", but Dominguez gets aboard.