Top pick: #8 (HIT IT RICH) - Home-bred grey mare was bred and is owned by the family that raced the ill-fated "Ruffian" almost 40 years ago. This 5-year-old by "Smart Strike" has realy improved a lot over her younger days and she became a stakes winner last fall when she won the (G3) Long Island H. racing at this 1 1/2 mile trip on the Belmont infield. Mare was outfinished by a 1/2 length in her seasonal bow here in the Suwanee River S.(G3) Feb. 11. She has a bullet 5-furlong work at Payson Park on the Mar. 19 and is the horse to beat.
2nd pick: #9 (Keertana) - Distance loving veteran finished second here goin 11 furlongs in The Very One S.(G3) here Feb. 25 in her second start back folowing a eight month layoff. Home-bred is 2-for-2 at this trip and has been a steady Graded performer for many years now. I almost made her the top pick. She'd be no surprise.
3rd pick: #5 (Shimmering Moment) - Daughter of "Afleet Alex" was bred in Kentucky but spent the first dozen starts of her career racing in England and the Mid-East. Mare won her North American debut here going 11 furlongs Jan. 2 in her first race since last Feb. at Meydan. Most all of her previous efforts came facing males and a repeat of her early Jan. win makes her a threat.