Top pick: #2 (WAR AND THUNDER) (3-1) - Very consistent veteran makes his local debut after going 30-9-5-2 on various dirt surfaces along the Atlantic seaboard. In a winning barn and speed/stalker just missed last out at Charles Town in his first race in 5 1/2 months. The horse to beat.
2nd pick: #8 (Poliziano) (5-2) - Gelding is only 2 for 28 on the win end, but he has a dozen minor awards and the majority have come facing tougher. Stalker fits with these and is a win candidate.
3rd pick: #1 (Brian) (4-1) - Once promising gelding was an easy wire-to-wire winner Sept. 1 at Monmouth racing for a $5000 Tag. Nice effort and speedster was claimed that day by Harold Wynter. He's worked since and a repeat of his overall effort makes him a win threat.
4th pick: #6 (Estrickator) (9-2) - Penn National shipper comes in off a career best figure when he was beaten a "neck" there in a starter-hdcp going 5-furlongs Aug. 16. He's been given plenty of time to recover and must be left in the mix.