Sure would like to have seen Mr. Z in the Travers and not the King's Bishop. There is no pace rival whatsoever to accompany American Pharoah in his next cakewalk. I presume either Joel Rosario or Kent Desormeaux (likely the latter) will send half-heartedly not wanting to make it easy for the Triple Crown winner while also knowing that their mount's best chance will be compromised. Frosted is starting to have the look of a dedicated bridesmaid, so I would prefer if he was sent up on the engine early. Desormeaux, however, has a penchant for taking early runs at odds-on favorites regardless of his own mount's chances, and given Texas Red's early presence in a slow-paced Jim Dandy, I foresee either a hustle from the gate or some ridiculous mid-race move that will lead to a hanging stretch run.
Meanwhile, as they round the far turn, if either gets close enough to AP to actually put some real pressure, expect Keen Ice to look like Concern circa '94 for about a 1/16th of a mile. Once they straighten up, he'll look like Hold Me Back circa '09.
The silver lining in all this is that AP will be the first horse to win the top 5 races in NA for 3yos (at least since the creation of the Haskell). I think the only Triple Crown winner to also take down the Travers was Whirlaway in 1941 (Affirmed won but was DQ'd for sawing off Alydar).
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