Top pick: #8 (WHYALWAYSME) (8-1) - Gelding enters off an even effort here at this tag going 7-furlongs Sept. 11. Three-year-old hit the gate at the break and had a very wide journey that afternoon. He's sitting on a big effort and will be a square price.
2nd pick: #1 (Sounds of Saratoga) (15-1) - Speed/stalker enters off a career best when he finished an even fourth here at this price and trip on a muddy surface in a switched contest Sept. 25. He moves back to the turf, draws the rail, and is a win threat at long odds.
3rd pick: #2 (Spark to Ignite) (3-1) - Lightly-raced and improving, gelding finished second facing tougher on the Saratoga turf Aug. 15 then ran evenly here on the dirt Sept. 28. Trainer Leo O'Brien brings him back quickly, switches him back to the dirt, and drops him in class. Win candidate.
4th pick: #3 (The Frood Dude) (4-1) - Much improved of late, he missed by a neck here at this tag and trip on Sept. 11. Strong finisher should factor again this afternoon.
5th pick: #11 (Wishandaprayer) (12-1) - He's an uncoupled barnmate of "Sounds of Saratoga" and this lightly-raced gelding tired when debuting here on a "muddy" track on Sept. 17. Bred for the grass and trainer Carlos Martin (20% second time out) adds blinkers.