Top pick: #5 (INCA SAINT) (3-1) - Lightlyraced gelding runs first off a rare Chad Brown claim and he makes some changes off a 5-week freshening. He adds blinkers (a 33% winning angle) and switches him from grass to dirt (27%). Barn doesn't claim many but has won with 4 of his last 12 (33%) over the past 21 months. Working well and I like his chances.
2nd pick: #6 (Identity Crisis) (7-2) - Strong finisher is cutting back a furlong and a turn after rallying to finish third at this level going 1 1/8th miles on Aug. 28 at Saratoga. It was a career best and came in his second off a 70-day break. Win candidate.
3rd pick: #8 (Flag On the Play) (5-2) - Darley home bred hasn't seen action since tiring when debuting in a Gulfstream Park sprint last Dec. Gelding by "Bernardini" is working nicely and has several changes for this attempt. Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin adds Lasix (29%), drops him into a claimer (33%), and stretches him out in distance (24%). Barn wins at a strong 27% rate off of long layoffs and this 3-year-old must be left in the win mix.
4th pick: #7 (Nicholson) (6-1) - Freshened up since Aug. 9, gelding missed by a "head" that afternoon going 7-furlongs at Saratoga for a $35K tag. Trainer Linda Rice has him working fast locally and he can impact at a square price.