Years ago ragozin did a study and distinctly concluded that horses run their best sheet numbers in "easy efforts" and "public workouts". He said it was a total fallacy that more was in the tank in these efforts and that they would run faster with more pressure. Instead they found the opposite. Its why I love betting back against horses off "easy wins". In this case however, I do not think Bernadini will lose. I do not expect him to leap forward in his fig though. I would expect the same kind of figure in the Travers or a slight regression, albeit good enough to win.

I dont know, maybe b/c breeders started breeding horses for speed, due to big yearling/2yo sales, the disappearance of classic distance races (very few 10F and no 12F dirt races b/c the horses ) which lead to those plodding type horses not becoming stallions and unsound,speed horses becoming stallions and those that had speed being bred to mares with speed b/c speed sells. That and medication allowing unsound horses to run and become stallions. just the tip of the iceberg.

Slew, Bid, Affirmed...2,3, and 4
John Henry....5, 6, 7, 8, 9
Forego...4, 5, 6, 7
Silverbulletday...2, 3, 4

I think I could go on and on.