Top pick: #6 (GIMME DA LUTE) (6-5) - Three-year-old has developed into a solid runner for the Baffert barn and enters this with an overall mark of 8-5-1-2. Colt by 'Midnight Lute' has won three stakes in a row and has banked $567K so far. Pegram home bred stretches back out around two-turns following a 12 1/2 length win here in a $192K stakes going 7-furlongs. He completed the distance in a swift 1:22.20 and earned a career best figure. The horse to beat.
2nd pick: #1 (Fame and Power) (5-1) - Price play also hails from the Baffert barn. He became a stakes winner at Pimlico on the Preakness undercard May 16 when he went wire-to-wire in the $100K Sir Barton Stakes. He had no chance here from an outside post facing older foes July 31. A 'throw out' race, he moves to the rail and is back in with fellow 3-year-olds.
3rd pick: #2 (Iron Fist) (3-1) - One of two entered by trainer Jerry Hollendorfer and the pair race uncoupled. He ships back from Mountaineer Park where he ran a respectable fourth in the Rich West Virginia Derby (G2) Aug 1. Factors with his best.