Top pick: #8 (RUSSIAN ALLY) - The probable favorite moves up in price following a pair of near misses racing for $16k. Latest, on Dec. 30, saw him involved from start to finish and miss by a 1/2 length in a large field (12). Effort was a career best and a repeat takes this.
2nd pick: #9 (Titus Catienus) - Gelding hasn't raced since July when he tired on the Belmont grass facing state-bred special weights. Working steadily for a good barn (Bruce Levine) he'll drop him into a claimer and race him on the dirt, both for the first time.
3rd pick: #4 (D'Sauvage) - He finished a distant third last out in his first back off a 13-month layoff. Gelding was almost 7 back of "Russian" that afternoon and has a pair of very fast works since. Can factor today for the win.