Top pick: #12 (HOLD EVERYTHING) (9-2) - The Baffert barn has freshened up this gelding by "Corinthian" since he tired after chasing a solid pace on the Santa Anita turf going a mile for a $50K tag. Speed/stalker is working fast locally, drops down in class, and goes grass to "poly." The outside post is a plus at this distance and this 3-year-old finished second at Hollywood Park in late November in his only previous start on a synthetic surface.
2nd pick: #7 (Well Insulated) (15-1) - Longshot is lightly-raced and will be dropping into a claimer for the first time. Gelding by "Hard Spun" has been racing evenly facing tougher and is working fast at Los Alamitos for this attempt.
3rd pick: #3 (Misdeed) (6-1) - Freshened up since for the past two months, he's dropping to a new low in price, going turf to "poly," and is shortening up a bit in distance. Four-year-old has some closing punch and is a stretch threat with his best.
4th pick: #2 (Warrior's Ridge) (8-1) - He had some promise earlier in his career but has been plagued by layoffs over the past two years. He's making his first start ever on a synthetic surface after going 9-0-3-3 on the grass.
5th pick: #13 (Mahalo Arturo) (10-1) - He needs one scratch in the main body to compete but is a threat if he gets to run. Lightly-raced colt is moving up in class after finishing second here at this distance on July 20th. That was his first race since early October and he's since come back with a sharp work. Factors if in.