Top pick: #3 (IRISHWOODS) - Already making his 3rd start of this meet, this 4yo by "Woodman" finished 2nd in a sprint at Hawthorne racing at this price on Nov 2nd before shipping here. He showed nothing in a grass race on Dec 9th, but came back with a nice effort just 11 days ago in a 7 furlong dirt sprint. That should have him sharp for this stretch-out attempt.
2nd pick: #1 (Avaras) - Trainer Lynne Scace deliberately raced him way over his head in a grass contest here facing special weights just 12 days ago. Race was his first in 2 1/2 months and he brings him back quickly, switches him back to the dirt, and runs him at a price that he was competitive at last year.
3rd pick: #4 (Riki Mcd) - Grey colt by "Vindication" has absolutely no early speed and runs today off a 70 day layoff. Training steadily for this, he's in a hot barn (Joan Scott), but 4yo seems better on both turf and "poly". Home-bred needs a fast/contest pace for any shot at the top prize.