Top pick: #1 (BROTHER JOHNANDDON) (3-1) - Speedy gelding has improved since blinkers went on two back and last out he finished third here at this level. In a very high-percentage barn (Federico Villafranco), this 3-year-old draws the rail and will be tough to catch with an alert break.
2nd pick: #7 (American Empire) (5-2) - Churchill shipper finished second there going 7-furlongs for a $10K tag Sept. 26. The race was run in very slow time, but a repeat of the "figure" earned makes him a win threat in his local debut.
3rd pick: #2 (Strike Three) (6-1) - Nicely bred 4-year-old tired going a mile on the local turf facing much tougher on Sept. 1. It was his first since late April of 2013 and was nothing more than a conditioning race. He's finished second in all four dirt sprints and is dropping down to a new low, switching back to the dirt, and cutting back in distance. Win candidate.
4th pick: #5 (Central Figure) (8-1) - Coly by "City Zip" has early speed and has improved in both starts here since debuting at Canterbury Park in Minnesota on July 18. He was only a "head" back of "Brother" last out and must be left in the mix.