I am not so sure that it was as much a prep for the Travers (and avoiding Bernardini) as it was getting the G1 win on his resume. It might have been an after the fact, but your point is valid.
At the same time, just because Pletcher had this view, with this horse, etc., doesn't mean it's constant or an absolute.
All of this is on a horse by horse, individual basis -- period. I think we'll see some trainers and horses do it, and others won't.
Eric
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