I have a question that obviously points to the Preakness, but I think you can answer without tipping your hand as to the analysis.

Hypothetically saying that "all things are equal prior to the Preakness (I know this can't be true, but for this question, let's assume they are).

If you HAVE to come back in two weeks after the Derby and run in the Preakness on short rest and your horse is coming in off of some kind of effort in the Derby (a top, pair or slight regression). What type of rest BEFORE the Derby would you want to have? As much as possible? (seems like it might be obvious, but maybe not so). 3 weeks, 4 weeks, 6 weeks, 8 weeks?????

Second question, would it matter to you how the horse's figure was run? (in other words is a "2" a "2" no matter what, as far as coming back on short rest). Would a "2" running on the pace, in a heated battle for 1 1/4 be tougher to come back from in 2 weeks than a "2" achieved by dropping back to last and then coming very wide around the far turn, losing ground? I know that from a quality perspective, a 2 is a 2 is 2..... But from a "coming back on short rest", would you rather be coming back off an effort where your horse ran hard the whole way, or just ran hard for the last 3/8 of a mile.

???

Thanks,

Jim