NYRA can either hope that they will still attract the bulk of the top 3 year olds (maybe they will) and chance that they will get the lesser lights or they can be flexible for one year. Even if they move it up, it will still be a very prestigious prize even as a prep for the Derby.
I do think they should make the race 1 1/8 as I don’t think any trainer would want to prep their foot for a 1 1/4 race with another 1 1/4 race. Plus, if the Preakness and Belmont are moved, that’s an awful lot of races at classic distances before the BC. That seems like too much.
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