Bet this race at Diamond SportsTop pick: #4 (AUTHENTIC) (7-5) - One of the two undefeated runners from the Baffert barn, he's been freshened up for the past two months after an easy win here going a mile in the G3 Sham Stakes Jan. 4. Working fast, I give him a slight edge today.
2nd pick: #5 (Thousand Words) (9-5) - The second of the Baffert runners, he's a perfect three-for-three and has shown a lot of grit and determination in all his starts. Stalker won the local Bob Lewis Stakes (G3) here at this distance Feb. 1, is working fast, and he'd be no surprise.
3rd pick: #2 (Honor A.P.) (4-1) - Reported to have talent before he ran, he rallied from far back to finish 2nd, going six furlongs when debuting at Del Mar Aug. 17. Stretched out to a mile here Oct. 13, he was a gate-to-wire winner by just over five lengths. Unraced since, he has a fine series of local works showing, and is a player today.