There's little doubt that trainer John Ward Jr. had this race penciled in when he started to plot the comeback of SKY MESA. Surely, Ward would have loved to have won the Dwyer and the Haskell, but this is the race everyone wants to win once they can't make it to the Triple Crown events. Sky Mesa turned in a fair effort in the Dwyer and then improved considerably in the Haskell when making up ground on Peace Rules, who had a perfect trip on the lead. In his third start off a layoff and at a mile and a quarter, a distance that should be ideal for him, this is the time he should deliver his peak effort in the race Ward has been pointing for all along. He should also get a perfect trip as one of the horses who will be sitting just off the pace, which may be hot considering that Strong Hope and Peace Rules both want the lead.

TEN MOST WANTED was a major disappointment in his comeback race when losing the Swaps as the heavy favorite to During, who is an ordinary horse. But trainer Wally Dollase is another one who was likely saving something for the Travers, the more important goal. This is a horse who doesn't always show up, which he proved in his lackluster Kentucky Derby performance. But he's a good horse and should be primed for his best here.

PEACE RULES is coming off a sizzling win in the Haskell, but this assignment will no doubt be much harder. A mile and a quarter is probably beyond his best distance and he's never going to lope to the lead here in a field that includes Strong Hope. But he's certainly not out of it; he's too good of a horse to just throw out and it is, after all, another case of Bobby Frankel running in a Grade I event. Jerry Bailey isn't going to get in a speed duel with Strong Hope. Rather, expect him to sit just behind that one. But that won't give him the sort of perfect trip he enjoyed in the Haskell.

STRONG HOPE has nearly been caught at a mile and a sixteenth and a mile and an eighth in easier assignments. Especially with Peace Rules in the race, it's hard to imagine he can stretch his speed this far against such a tough field. WILD AND WICKED proved he didn't belong at this level when out run in the Haskell. CONGRATS isn't ready for this tough of an assignment.

PICKS SUMMARY: 1. Sky Mesa 2. Ten Most Wanted 3. Peace Rules