The upcoming Ben Ali looks like a favorable opportunity for Nun the Less (10), a rallying winner of last month's Kentucky Cup Classic at Turfway on Jeff Ruby Stakes Day (video included, lime silks, #1 that day). His winning time of 1:50.79 was about a second and a half faster than Somelikeithotbrown's clocking in the Jeff Ruby.

Although his Kentucky Cup Classic came on the Poly, a surface Nun the Less clearly likes, this is a horse that has handled most surfaces. He even won over this dirt track in the mud in the fall of 2014. He is an appealing price in the early betting - sitting at 7-1 with 23 minutes to post.

Flameaway (4) and Solomini (6) are my second and third selections.

Flameaway was a gritty performer in the Kentucky Derby preps of last year, winning the Sam. F. Davis and running second in both the Tampa Bay Derby and the Blue Grass. Freshened after going off form over the second half of last year, he has since come back in good form. He also sports a win and a second in two local main-track starts.

As for Solomini, he received a confidence booster in taking an entry-level allowance at Santa Anita last month. Among his better races over his 2-year-old and 3-year-old seasons, he crossed the wire first in the Los Al Futurity as a 2-year-old, only to come down for interference.