I hate the argument that Bernardini beat a weak field......huh? SNS is a very nice horse, a genuine graded stakes horse and Brother Derek is very accomplished. If they were over the top or tired going into the Preakness, then their trainers shouldn't have run them, given that they had no chance for the Triple Crown. Since both trainers had no interest in seeing their colts hurt, I assume that they were both in good shape for the Preakness. No excuse. Remember that Bernardini had had zero starts around two turns, limited racing experience period and was an unknown classwise. He won the Preakness on sheer talent alone.
I've never seen Barbaro's turf races but I was shocked at his stride in the Derby -that horse had a turf stride if any horse ever has. Too bad that he and Bernardini never got to hook up; they might have been really good for racing.
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