Top pick: #2 (ACCEPTANCE) (6-5) - Undefeated (3 for 3) has won each impressively, the last pair coming in stakes. He was a winner here going 7-furlongs in the $196K Golden State Juvenile, then took the $200K "King Glorious" going a mile at Los Alamitos Dec. 14. Working fast and he's the horse to beat.
2nd pick: #1 (Tough Sunday) (3-1) - "Tough" is right as this colt was born both blind and deaf. Nutrition boosts brought back his vision but he remains deaf. He broke his maiden here going 7-furlongs Dec. 28. The figure earned was the highest any of these has yet reached. Stalker is working fine, has the rail, and is attempting a two-turn distance for the first time.
3rd pick: #5 (Kluszewski) (8-1) - Improving sort finished third at Los Alamitos Dec. 14 in the $200K "King Glorious" stakes. He was 3 1/2 back of Acceptance that day and obviously needs to do a bit better in this spot.
4th pick: #7 (Plumarac) (9-2) - He split "Acceptance" and "Kluszewski" last out in a good effort. A career best and his trainer (Jerry Hollendorfer) has dominated the stakes action at this meet.