Bet this race at Diamond SportsTop pick: #3 (MOR SPIRIT) (2-1) - Very consistent sort has gone 5-3-2-0 to date. $650,000 ridgling by 'Eskendereya' won the rich Los Alamitos Futurity (G1) to close out a 4-2-2-0 2-year-old season. Sent in for a brief seven week freshening by trainer Bob Baffert, newly turned 3-year-old impressed when winning the G3 Bob Lewis Stakes here at this distance Feb 6. Working fast since, he gets a slight edge in a small but strong group.
2nd pick: #6 (Smokey Image) (7-2) - Undefeated (six-for-six), he's following the same path as 'California Chrome'. That runner won this race along with the Santa Anita Derby (G1) on his way to Kentucky. This colt has won from both on and off the pace and that versatility is a big plus. Working fast, he scored in the $245K Cal Cup Derby here Jan 30 in his first race around two-turns.
3rd pick: #7 (Exaggerator) (5-2) - He won a trio of graded stakes last year and finished a close up and troubled fourth in the $2,000,000 Breeder's Cup Juvenile (G1) at Keeneland Oct 31. Son of 'Curlin' finished second to the talented 'Nyquist' in his seasonal bow in the seven furlong San Vincente Stakes (G2) here Feb 15. Dangerous today.