Top pick: #7 (AMERICAN WILDCAT) - Son of "Forest Wildcat" has run well in all three of his starts facing special weights and has excellent early speed. Trainer Jeff Bonde drops him into a claimer for the first time and switches him from the grass back to the "poly". The horse to beat.
2nd pick: #6 (Real Heart) - Gelding showed fine early speed here when debuting August 7th and it came facing tougher. Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer brings him back quickly for this (11 days) and drops him into a claimer. Contender.
3rd pick: #3 (Merlin Z) - Cal-bred drops and tries claimers in his 2nd back off a 65 day freshening. Has solid early speed but will need to hold on much better than he has.