I have a hard time believing the early trip did him in. He was all done by the 5 F pole. Real good horses can overcome having their preferred trip taken away and he didn't do it. Not at all. I can see the start costing him the race if he'd fought at least a little harder a little longer. But I just can't buy the trip took so much out of him that he was done when he was. Same goes for the track condition.
My guess is the foot -- or something else -- was bothering him and he wrapped himself up. But they don't talk so who knows. But as much as he dominated his prior three fields, he really had no non-physical excuse to run so bad.
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