Top pick: #1 (ETERNAL VALOR) (10-1) - Price play is from the barn of leading trainer Bob Diodoro and this well-bred gelding has raced a bit greenly in his two local starts. He has the rail, a sharp recent work, and you get a Diodoro-trained runner at a square price.
2nd pick: #6 (Saturnino) (5-2) - The probable heavy favorite, home-bred colt has been freshened up since Nov. 23 and will be dropping into a claimer for the first time. Working well and he's back in with maidens after four straight facing winners.
3rd pick: #3 (The Third One) (3-1) - Speedy and well-bred, he pressed the pace and held gamely to miss by a neck racing here at this tag and trip on Jan. 10. Cal.-bred by "Stormin Fever" has worked since and should be involved from start-to-finish.
4th pick: #2 (Rocky Bar of Gold) (9-2) - Colt's "figures" are a bit "light" and he's racing for the first time since Oct. 19. May hang on for a minor award with his best.