Top pick: #5 (FREE TIME) (3-1) - Very speedy gelding seems at his best on conventional dirt and was an impressive gate-to-wire winner here racing for a $12.5K tag on Dec. 29 to clear the 2l condition. By far his best since returning from a long layoff and think he can take another.
2nd pick: #2 (Clinton) (5-2) - All of his success has com on "poly," but he'll be dropping down to a new low in price and shortening up in distance. Working well for this attempt and it's Bejarano riding for a capable small barn (Janet Armstrong).
3rd pick: #4 (Omar) (9-2) - Lightly-raced gelding by "Bertrando" chased and weakened to finish fourth here when facing better on Jan. 5 and has since come back with a fine work. Drops and has run well at this price in the past.
5th pick: #1 (Mucho Besos) (5-1) - Races second off a claim and drops back down after an even effort facing tougher in his first for the new barn. Has the rail, has won here in the past, and can factor from start-to-finish.