While I share Richiebee's sentiments about Tonalist and Silver Charm's assessment of the Remsen trio. My contrarian cannot forget Red Vine's Pacific Classic and Tonalist in his BC's.

So skeptics have ammunition. One could conclude the Cigar was very ordinary regarding performance figures. Are MShawish & Matroon G1 competition? Yet the race was run like a turf race or a speed skating heat.

The raw times are unimpressive to those not in the know about the track/race variant. Doubtful that figure makers will agree on the 2 y/o's. So here we go again the top N.Y. Derby horses will be over or under rated by a race that was slow by the clock and one whose #'s are likely to be questioned for five months.

So I'm off to Japan to wait for the $5M cup and the unlikely proposition that a 3 y/o filly (MIKKI QUEEN) can beat all comers @ 1+1/2 miles at a measly 4/1 m/l. I'll probably have to listen to a few Donnie Iris cuts to keep from snoozing.