Bet this race at Diamond SportsTop pick: #2 (CALIFORNIA FLASH) (3-1) - NEW gelding ships down from Golden Gate Fields. He runs off a private sale to owner/trainer Troy Smith and he's dropping him down to this $5000 claiming price for the first time. Competitive several times in the past on conventional dirt, 3-year-old worked a sharp half-mile here Dec. 29.
2nd pick: #3 (Grass and Cactus) (7-2) - Calif. bred tired late to check in third here Dec. 17. He was involved in a pace fight that day and did so while racing between horses. A career best overall, he's a major player in this spot.
3rd pick: #4 (Lo Duca) (5-2) - Lightly-raced home bred rallied from far back to finish second here at this tag and trip Nov 29. Nice effort came after he was bumped at the break. Trainer Molly Pearson is having a great meet 36-10-9-3 and this improving gelding is a late threat.
4th pick: #7 (Sir Got Class) (6-1) - Very lightly-raced he finished an even fourth here Dec. 17. Only his second lifetime start, it was his first since May 28. Working very fast for this attempt, trainer Paul Kauffmann has him making back-to-back starts for the first time.