I'm going to wait & see what the reports are when these horses get to Louisville, but I have a different opinion on Cairo Prince right now. I do believe he was a short horse. There's a good chance than McLaughlin thought he could get enough points out of the race with a horse less than 100% because the goal has always been to peak in Louisville, not Florida. I think he was more a victim of overconfidence that he could still get close on a track that totally plays against the wide moves that are Cairo Prince's style.

Now the doseage boys certainly will agree that he won't get 1 1/4, but I know you're a class handicapper as well as a numbers guy & Cairo classes up pretty good compared with some of the other horses. He's beaten Wicked Strong twice already, the last time trouncing him in the Holy Bull by over 15 lengths. If Wicked Strong can be forgiven for 2 bad GP races, why can't Cairo be forgiven for 1, especially off a 2 month layoff? He also trounced Intense Holiday by over 6 lengths in the Holy Bull who then went on to beat Hoppertunity by 7 in the Risen Star. Cairo has beaten Intense Holiday 3 times already. Also going back to last year's Remsen, even though the pace was ridiculously slow, Cairo did run the last 1/4 mile in 35 seconds in a 1 1/8 race. He also has a January sheet # that is competitive with just about all the other contenders & if he matures since January will be extremely dangerous in May if he exceeds that January number.

Since I haven't seen the yet to be run workouts nor the final sheets, I'm not sold on Cairo Prince as the Derby winner yet, but he does have a few things going for him.