Safe trips, wide posts etc...The record of top riders like Bailey & Day speaks for itself.

Nobody complains when they bring home the winner. Only when they loose. That goes for trainers and handicappers alike.

Frankly, I don't think it would have mattered much who was riding EM in the Belmont. Getting a good trip in a six horse race from a horse with tactical speed is no big deal. Especially when two of the six have no chance of threatening for a serious piece at the finish.

Getting a good trip from a closer like TMW is somewhat trickier, even in a six horse field. I watched the race and replay and came away thinking that TMW ran the best race of the two. He may not have been THAT wide, but he raced wider than EM around both turns and lost by a minimal, diminishing margin. Point is though, he lost and EM won. It still produced an exacta payoff of 20-1 in what was arguably a three maybe four horse race for the top two slots. With horses involving two of the preeminent riders in the game and maybe two of the best of all time.

It doesn't get much better than that.