These are all good. I had some additional thoughts and questions where I am under the assumption that horses are going to go with their first preferences - hope you don’t mind I tag them in here.

Was the Pacific Classic as slow as it looks on raw time (2:03)?

By the same token, was the Jockey Club Gold Cup as slow as it looks on raw time (2:03)

Are Saudi Crown and Arabian Knight going to hook up for an extremely fast pace doing themselves in and setting it up for an off the pace type horse?

Has White Abarrio’s supposed shoe issues and subsequent somewhat abbreviated work tab going to negatively affect his performance, especially off a 91 day break?

Has Geaux Rocket Ride’s recent infection and subsequent administration of antibiotics causing him to miss a work in October going to negatively affect his performance?

Given that 8 of the last 18 winners prepped in the 9f Whitney, can 2023 Whitney victor White Abarrio effectively get 10f off of a 91 day layoff and a somewhat spotty work pattern?

Can Kentucky Winner Mage bounce back to his earlier in the year form, considering the only one horse has won the Classic (Arcangues was 4th) that was not in the trifecta in their final prep race?

Has trainer Rick Dutrow made as big an impact on White Abarrio as looks on paper having run huge in the Whitney and even his Met Mile was a negative number with all the trouble?

Is Japanese entrant Ushba Tesoro the next Cigar having raced exclusively on the turf his first 23 races to an overall record on the turf of 22-3-14, but now has improved that to 30-10-3-15 since going 8-7-0-1 on the dirt his last 8 races while winning two G1 races in the process?

Is Derma Sotogake better than his troubled Kentucky Derby effort in the US and even if he is, can he win off a 182 day break, which interestingly is exactly twice the number of days off compared to Invasor (91 days) who holds the record for longest layoff winner of the Classic?

Does Arcangelo’s somewhat uninspiring work tab (compared to his preparation for the Travers where he looked like a freight train) give pause to his supporters, especially considering 12 of the last 13 winners of the Classic winners posted an intervening 6f or greater work and/or a bullet work (Arcangelo has done neither)?

Is Senor Buscador’s late kick “nerfed” at 10f compared to shorter distances?

Given 35/39 winners of the Classic had a G1 win the year they won the race, can Charge It, Clapton, Derma Sotogake, Proxy (G1 win was in 2022), Senor Buscador, or Zandon get over the hump as none have a G1 win this year?

Will Ushba Tesoro become the first 6YO or older horse to win the Classic?

Will Bright Future still be able to stalk and finish like he has with a likely much brisker pace scenario than he has encountered?

Did the light bulb suddenly go on for Zandon after a dozen races or did he just beat up on an extremely weak Woodward field?

How much mutuel pool attention are the Japanese horses going to get - are they going to be over-bet at this point or do they offer logical value?