Top pick: #6 (ANGEL DE AMOUR) (5-2) - Speedy gelding was competitive in all his grass starts (6-0-4-2) in 2013, and just failed to hang on in a pair of starts on the much tougher NYRA circuit. On the sidelines since Nov. 2nd, he has a new trainer (Mike Chambers 25% with recent arrivals), and 4yo has worked here four times during January. The horse to beat.
2nd pick: #5 (Ella's Kitten) (3-1) - Colt by "Kitten's Joy" missed by a "nose" here at this level on the grass on Dec. 14th, then finished a sharp second in a dirt sprint 12 days later. In the barn of leading trainer Bob Diodoro, and a strong factor this afternoon.
3rd pick: #4 (Noble Vision) (10-1) - He's raced evenly in all four local starts since coming off a year's layoff in early Nov. He was only two lengths back of "Ella" in his latest and can grab a share at a big price.
4th pick: #1 (Shoot for Lute) (5-1) - Good barn (Greg Tracy) moves him to the grass, and stretches him out in distance off a trio of fine tries sprinting here on the dirt at this level.
5th pick: #9 (Confederate Cat) (10-1) - Lightly raced 5yo runs third off a 14 1/2 month layoff, is stretching out in distance, and going dirt to turf. Working well for this, and note that in his latest here, he was facing allowance foes and wasn't that badly beaten.