Top pick: #6 (MIDNIGHT CON) - Heavily bet at Hollywood Park on Dec. 4, he just missed in a small field in his first ever in a claimer. Trainer Jeff Mullins has worked him five times on this surface since then, including a bullet 5/8ths on Jan. 3. The choice in a competitive finale.
2nd pick: #3 (Take No Prisoners) - The probable favorite pressed and weakened when debuting in a sprint facing special weights at Hollywood on Nov. 13. Drops down for this, goes "poly" to dirt, and the Baffert barn stretches him out in distance. Win candidate.
3rd pick: #8 (War Politics) - One of two entered by trainer Doug O'Neill, and the pair will race uncoupled. Drops back down after an even effort facing better and will run with blinkers on.
4th pick: #7 (Already There) - He's regressed since showing some promise over the summer months. Trainer Pete Miller drops him into a claimer and races him on real dirt for the first time. Can factor in the same race exotics at a big price.