Top pick: #3 (READTHESMOKESIGNAL) (7-2) - Colt showed fine early speed before weakening to finish fourth when facing tougher just 13 days ago. Good effort came off a seven week freshening and trainer Gary Gullo brings him back quickly, drops him in price, and adds blinkers.
Top pick: #8 (Belief System) (3-1) - Gelding takes the big drop into maiden claimers for the first time and he's been competitive in both starts when facing tougher. Home-bred should be involved from start to finish.
Top pick: #6 (Unbridled Band) (8-1) - He takes the same drop as "System" and he flashed fine early speed last out going a mile. Trainer Jim Ryerson drops him down, adds blinkers, and shortens him up in distance.
Top pick: #7 (Ask About Me) (2-1) - Nice debut on the grass at Gulfstream Dec. 6 saw him race both wide and evenly facing $35K "open" foes. He has a new trainer today (John Parisella) and he has him go turf to dirt and cut him back in distance for his New York debut. Domingues is aboard, and he's won with 9 of his last 15 when riding for Parisella.