Bet this race at Diamond SportsTop pick: #7 (BLUE BELT) (2-1) - Lightly raced gelding is facing winners for the first time. 3yo by 'Bluegrass Cat' was an impressive maiden winner here at this distance Jan. 28. Only his second race, it was his first in seven weeks and first with lasix. He has room for upside and will be tough in this spot.
2nd pick: #4 (Tribecca) (7-2) - He won here at this level and distance Jan. 13, then finished 3rd under the same conditions Feb. 5. Speedy sort has a shot if 'Blue Belt' rates off him a bit in the first half-mile.
3rd pick: #2 (Shiraz) (6-1) - Stretch runner ships back from Florida where he raced wide in a $100K stakes at the Ocala Sales Facility, a contest restricted to horses that were sold there. Consistent sort is shortening up in distance and is dangerous with his best.
4th pick: #6 (Macho Miah) (5-2) - Competitive in his first four starts, he showed nothing here Dec. 29 when he was returning from a two-month break. He is training steadily, and trainer Jeremiah Englehart is adding blinkers (eight for his last 20, 40%).