Top pick: #2 (GLOBAL STRIKE) (5-2) - Lightly-raced Stonestreet home-bred comes off a solid second-place finish to the promising "Tonalist" who runs later in today's 6th race. Son of "Smart Strike" is in the Pletcher barn and is working fast for this attempt.
2nd pick: #1 (I'mbetterthangood) (3-1) - Very strong finisher stretches out around two-turns after a pair of solid efforts here going a mile. He has the rail, has both lasix and blinkers added, and he should love this 1 1/8th mile distance. Win candidate.
3rd pick: #3 (Blarp) (5-1) - Home-bred by "War Front" moves back to the dirt after finishing fifth of 12, beaten 3 1/2 lengths racing here at this trip on the grass Jan. 11. Working nicely for this, and it's John Velazquez riding for Bill Mott (a 29% winning angle over the past 14 months).
4th pick: #7 (Woodfield Springs) (10-1) - Lasix is added to colt who last out set a quick and pressured pace before weakening late to finish four lengths back of "I'mbetterthangood." Price play.