Just before the Preakness, Baffert was interviewed about how AUTHENTIC would run. Essentially, in no uncertain terms, he said his colt was breathing fire and would run big. He certainly was right. And the race reminds us that Baffert is best when he's 1w1w lone on the lead. When he's not...

To me, SWISS SKYDIVER completed the tail end of an unconventionally flat recovery pattern, which started fast in her Oaklawn race, bent back in something of a flattish semi-circle through Keeneland and Saratoga, and then curved back down to her Pimlico top. If you saw it this way, hopefully you cashed handsomely. And, not that I give a hoot, but I wonder whether this recovery pattern apparent on ThoroGraph's sheets was also apparent on the rival's sheets. I'd guess: no.

Check out Mike Maker's EVIL LYN making a huge zoom improvement to win Pimlico's 4th race! My reaction when I saw the number? "Hahahahahahahahhahahahah!" You've got to love Mike Maker! Talk about the predictive power of a sheet pattern. Here, there was none! Though notably, Maker travelled to Baltimore appearing in (gasp!) a suit and tie! [That is, as opposed to the "beer belly over scruffy jeans" look he wears 98% of the time.] He wanted to win for Paradise Farms and he got the job done.