Top pick: #3 (SOUTHERN HEART) (3-1) - Gelding goes turf to dirt, drops in price, and shortens back up in distance in his second off a Pat Gallagher claim and a subsequent three month layoff. Latest effort may have been nothing more than a conditioning race and the day he was claimed he finished a close up third at thia tag and trip. The presence of Garret Gomez (21% when riding for Gallagher) hints that this is the money run.
2nd pick: #4 (Dashing Ash) (4-1) - Colt by "Stormy Atlantic" showed good early speed last out before weakening to finish third. Positive effort came in his second back from a nine month layoff and was his first at this $20K tag.
3rd pick: #6 (Patriotic Lion) (5-2) - This is start No. 21 in his career, but all of his competitive efforts (14-0-5-3) have come on this surface and many against tougher fields than this. Speed/stalker fits and trainer Pat Biancone adds blinkers along with noted "speed" jock Marty Pedroza.
4th pick: #7 (Knucklebuster) (4-1) - He hasn't raced since Feb. 5 of 2012 when he showed little here at this tag and trip. He was probably injured that day and in his previous start had finished second on this surface. Two of his last four works at Hollywood are impressive, and he's a factor if ready.