Bet this race at Diamond SportsTop pick: #1 (NATIONS HOPE) (2-1) - He enters off a 2nd place finish here at this trip for a $20K tag Feb. 10. Gelding dueled for the front while racing between horses and held gamely for the place spot. He draws the rail today and meets a weak field despite moving back up in price. He gets top billing today.
2nd pick: #4 (Sooner Better) (3-1) - A Calumet home bred, he's received very poor rides in his last pair. Very wide in both, he's brought back in two weeks, and trainer Keith Desmoreaux apprentices apprentice Tellez with Sean Arias.
3rd pick: #6 (Midnight Roamer) (4-1) - A $50,000 gelding by 'Arch,' he was away slowly and showed nothing when debuting here facing much tougher Jan. 4. Trainer Ryan Hanson drops him way down in class, is adding blinkers for this attempt, and whatever talent he has should come out against this group.