Top pick: #5 (Smooth Like Strait) (10-1) - Smooth Like Strait is a 5-year-old with remarkable consistency at 1-mile. In the last eight races, Smooth Like Strait has six second-place finishes, one win, and one third-place. All were on turf at 1-mile or 1 1/8. Smooth Like Strait is also well-rested and prepped, off since August while recouping a minor leg cut.
2nd pick: #8 (Regal Glory) (6-1) - Regal Glory is in fine form following four straight wins with a pair of second-place Grade 1 finishes in three months at the Fourstardave Handicap and the First Lady Stakes. The most recent was four weeks ago on this same course, Keeneland, in the one-mile First Lady Stakes. The loss was to In Italian, a standout horse that has won five of seven races.
3rd pick: #14 (Domestic Spending) (8-1) - It's been a while since we've seen Domestic Spending, recovering from a left foreleg injury. But the training has been great and this horse has won six of eight races, while finishing second and third once. And in four Grade 1 stakes races, Domestic Spending has won three of them with a second-place finish the last time out at the Mister D Stakes.