that horse got so pumped up over the layoff that they just needed to balance getting into racing shape with maintaining his physical improvements. It's nice to see a 3yo with some base talent be allowed to improve. His was very noticable, although I didn't pay attention until the Preakness day post-parade. He got the right track and opponent to continue to move forward even at nine furlongs that day, but looked like a top animal physically.

At least Flashy Bull made the Foster somewhat decent in terms of adjusted final time. Gomez appeared to have at least been able to make a winning bid and appeared to ride conservatively in spite of having a ton of horse with Magna Graduate. Magna Graduate is no Grade 1 champion, but maybe Gomez let Flashy Bull dominate the top of the stretch.

"When I came off the turn, I thought I had dead aim on (Flashy Bull)," Garrett Gomez said of his view aboard Magna Graduate. "But then (Flashy Bull) kind of kicked on a little more on the inside. My horse had to grind it out. We kind of took him out of his element today, a little further off the pace than usual, to get him to settle."

I guess it is a lot safer to sit back and expect everyone to quit for you going into the turn. Albarado was losing some momentum at the end, but he did a solid job of staying out of that expected speed duel between umphry and wanderin boy without riding passively.

What does this mean?

It was a blanket three horse finish....the second and third horses ran very similar final times.

You are likely right, Magna and Diamond Stripes probably would have run about the same from the 7/8 to the wire even if Bull wouldn't have fired.
Flashy Bull improved the overall quality of the race, but probably not the winner's final time.

here are my estimated velocities for the last 2 furlongs

Magna Graduate 53.6 ft/s
Diamond Stripes 53.2 ft/s
Flashy Bull 52.8 ft/s