Top pick: #3 (LATE RALLY) (7-5) - The field's most experienced maiden and he's been showing fine early speed facing tougher. Son of the speedy "Rocky Bar" is from a good barn (Dan McFarlane) and he drops this colt into a claimer for the first time. The horse to beat.
2nd pick: #2 (Pike) (8-1) - Lightly-raced gelding enters off an even and troubled effort here facing tougher going longer on the grass Nov. 19. Drops down, switches back to the dirt, and he had a bullet half-mile breeze here four days ago.
3rd pick: #6 (Hot Strider) (3-1) - One of two entered by trainer Manny Ortiz and the pair race uncoupled. He rallied to finish second on Nov. 5, but the race was run in slow time and the figure earned low.