I'll give you credit, you did say that about pace, but I have to ask what made you think that? Even with the scratches and Maya, all of whom may have been pressing early, I thought there would be plenty of pace. I think maybe others read it that way and, as a result, were a little tentative.

It was interesting to read today that Baffert spent a half and hour telling Espinoza not to move too soon and he was still able to walk on the lead. I have seen many times late tactical switches can blow all this pace handicapping out of the water.

It looked to me like Perfect Drift had the Perfect Trip and I was sure he would get it turning for home. Delahoussaye was the only one on his game out there. I knew he was baked when he cut around behind War Emblem instead of charging through on the inside, which is what it looked like he initially tried to do coming out of the turn. HP