Bet this race at Diamond SportsTop pick: #4 (EXPRESS TRAIN) (5-2) - A $500,000 colt by 'Union Rags', he was a maiden winner by just over 14 lengths going a mile Aug. 28 at Del Mar. Only his second start, he had finished a distant second to today's rival 'Eight Rings' debuting at 6 furlongs Aug. 4. I give him a very slight edge.
2nd pick: #3 (Eight Rings) (2-1) - As mentioned above, he was a maiden winner going 6 furlongs Aug. 4 at Del Mar while finishing 6 lengths in front of 'Express Train'. Heavily favored in the Del Mar Futurity (G1) Sept. 2, he made a left hand turn at the break and dumped rider Drayden Van Dyke. Bob Baffert has John Velazquez aboard today and the trainer is looking to win the G1 stakes for the 9th time.
3rd pick: #7 (Shoplifted) (5-1) - A $800k colt by 'Into Mischief', he was an easy debut winner Saratoga July 27, then rallied to finish second there in the G1 Hopeful Sept. 2. He makes his two-turn and West Coast debut and is in the mix.