Lets have a bit of a reality check here. Do I think Zayat pushed Baffert to run in the Travers. Yes. Was this probably not a great decision. Yes. I am not a Baffert fan or a Zayat fan especially after yesterday. But really after winning the Haskell with ease and clearly coasting at the end of an 1 1/8 race, this should of not been a tough race for AP. He got the perfect set up again. A horse that constantly gets perfect setups and he did not perform.

You really need three things to pull off the very difficult task of winning a triple crown: 1. Great racing luck especially with pace scenarios. 2. Preferably a weak field of three year olds that can be dominated. 3. An excellent racehorse(some of the past triple crown winners have been so good they really didn't need #1 or #2.)

In the case of Pharoah, factors #1 and #2 were much larger reasons for AP winning the triple crown then #3. Remember the Kentucky Derby? The first three horses nearly crawled the first half mile (47and change) on a day the track was lightning fast. These fractions were the slowest of the day. After a half mile in the Derby everyone knew one of the first three horses at the half mile would win. Some people claimed "the second best derby ever run after secretariat" Absurd. Anyone who saw how the track was playing that day saw how the Derby was stolen. In the Preakness who knows? Crazy weather. yet another easy trip. Monster horse Tale of Verve was second. And then of course the Belmont. Same story. Easy lead, back up, run hard last 3/8ths.

And how about the quality of horses? What happened to the heavily hyped, Upstart, Materiality, Dortmund, Frosted. Best in the group is the late plodding Keen Ice. Looked like a great Derby was about to happen. Then one of the worst ever. All this incredible talent was overhyped as well.

I think it is great for the sport to have a triple crown winner. But this horse is the worst triple crown winner ever as far as ability. Finally caught just a little bit of pressure today, still with easy fractions and he spit the bit. Did you see the closing quarter?

I am sure soon we will hear the story of some type of fake injury so that AP doesn't have to run again. He will get squashed in the classic if he does run. Zayat is too greedy to risk that.

So goodbye AP. Baffert and Zayat will take the cowards way out and instead spin stories for years about your so called greatness. I just wish AP would do me one last favor as he walks into the sunset. Take Baffert and Zayat with you. And Bode too.