Top pick: #3 (THUNDERBERG) (5-1) - Price play ships in from Louisisna Downs where he finished a pace-setting second at this level on Sept. 19. That was a career best and he should have little trouble making the top today. Very dangerous on the front-end.
2nd pick: #9 (Minister of Rum) (4-1) - Texas-bred runs third back off a nine month layoff and showed noticeable improvement in his second off the break. Four-year-old made a strong middle-move and ran third here that day and has worked fast since. Win candidate.
3rd pick: #10 (Sartoris) (2-1) - The probable favorite, he's rallied to finish second here at this level in both starts since moving to the turf. In the Calhoun barn, and an obvious win candidate, but at a short price.
4th pick: #8 (Harlan's Hope) (6-1) - He's improved since switching to the turf and last out was right behind both "Rum" and "Sartoris." Improving, and grey gelding will be a square price.
5th pick: #5 (Indian Red) (12-1) - Longshot has shown nothing in his first pair, but they came at Saratoga and Kentucky Downs. Gelding by "Bernardini" has a fast work here five days ago that suggests he's ready for a better effort. He started his career in the Pletcher barn before sent to Randy Morse.