Top pick: #6 (PULLA TRAIN) (3-1) - Lightly-raced Cal.-bred makes his local debut and had a huge bullet half-mile work at Santa Anita just eight days ago before heading here. Speedy sort is well spotted by the Kruljac barn and can make his local debut a winning one.
2nd pick: #8 (Sweet Thunder) (5-1) - Gelding faces winners after an impressive maiden win here at this trip on Nov. 19. Race was his first in 25 1/2 months and the "figure" earned fits with these. Can impact if he avoids a "bounce."
3rd pick: #7 (Instinctively Bold) (5-1) - Gelding has already proven that he can compete at this level and speed/stalker has gone 7-1-4-2 since moving from the tougher So. California circuit in late spring. In the mix.
4th pick: #3 (Livin' Lovin' Man) (9-2) - Very consistent 5-year-old has gone 11-1-4-4 overall and has returned off a 5 1/2 month layoff a better horse. Speed/stalker fits and should be involved from start-to-finish.