Top pick: #8 (MAGIC APPLE) (5-1) - Colt ships in from Churchill Downs where he finished second when debuting there on June 19th in a 5-furlong dirt sprint. Nice effort saw him involved from the start and a very good small barn (Mark Hubley) adds lasix and switches him to the grass.
2nd pick: #6 (Escondido) (3-1) - Debuting colt is from the Pletcher barn (26% with first out juveniles), and he has his favorite rider (John Velazquez) is aboard. $370K yearling purchase worked a half-dozen times at Saratoga during June and is a win candidate.
3rd pick: #5 (Granny's Kitten) (5-2) - Ramsey home bred by "Kitten's Joy" has a very good work pattern showing ans several of the works indicate speed is present. Trainer Mike Maker wins at a 21% rate first out and this Pa.-bred must be left in the mix.
4th pick: #3 (Security Risk) (4-1) - Barn ("Shug" McGaughey) doesn't run many 2-year-olds until the fall, but he sends out this Phipp's home bred off of some nice drills. Son of "War Front" had a bullet 3-furlong breeze on the local dirt May 25th and can factor with a sharp break.