Given the strong collection of Early horses here (Hansen, Trinniberg, Bodemeister, Gemologist), yet no dominance by any of them, I'd have to make this a race favouring Other Than Earlies, though I would not put it past the maturing Bode or the superconsistent Gemologist (though I'd like to see higher class race wins) to finish somewhere in my superfecta.
So, my top Other Than Early, Late energy, VDC horses are:
Alpha
Dullahan
Union Rags
in likely descending order of post-time odds.
I thought the race was going to be inscrutable (as I usually do going into it
) but it seemed to shake out like it always does using a few reliable guidelines:
1. Use Win or very close 2nd finish in G1 or G2 races, this year, the longer the better
2. Emphacize Late energy (L/ep, LPR, TS+F3) but not at the expense of Total Energy
3. Identify if the Earlies with any of the above are too disadvantaged by a surplus of other early competitors.
4. Get a price.
Alpha and
Dullahan may offer all of the above plus a good price.
Good luck to all!
Ted