If Silver City isn't in the Rebel, does Old Fashioned win on an easy lead?
Prepping twice against Silver City hasn't been easy for a speed horse. The pace they went for 6furlongs in each in each of the last two was pretty fast for each respective card. There is some chance that they went really fast for the first 5 or 6 furlongs relative to track weight.
The problem is that the K.Derby isn't necessarily going to be any easier of a pace scenario.
What can Old Fashioned do in those kind of situations where quality early speed wants to set fractions that are much too fast to maintain??
I don't know that there is a good answer. Could Old Fashioned have ignored Silver City and settled into a cruise 4 lengths back- just clear of the 2nd group Hamazing Destiny, Poltergeist and co. ? Would it have helped? When they come home the last 2.5 in 33+ it's hard to be optimistic about a stretchout and a step-up.
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