Top pick: #5 (PIANIST) (3-1) - Filly is one of two entered by trainer Chad Brown, and they give him a strong hand in this $200K stakes. This speed/stalker comes off a narrow loss in the "Ballston Spa" stakes (G2) at Saratoga on Aug. 24th to the greatly improved "Laughing," and is working well for this attempt.
2nd pick: #3 (Samitar) (7-5) - The second of the Brown fillies, English-import has improved as the year has gone along, and two of her three wins in this country have come on this surface. Strong finisher should get a solid pace to rally into and is a win candidate.
3rd pick: #7 (Assateague) (5-1) - Speedy filly set a fast pace and tired late to finish fourth here at this distance in the "Noble Damsel" stakes (G3) on Sept. 14th. That broke a two race winning streak, and she's since come back with a pair of bullet works at Fair Hill. Her speed makes her a bit dangerous.
4th pick: #4 (Abaco) (3-1) - Phipp's home-bred is a very strong finisher, and ships back from Laurel where she missed by a nose in a $100K stakes on Sept. 21st. Rounding into her best form following several layoffs, and mare by "Giant's Causeway" likes this surface (3-2-1-0).