It has been pointed out a few times that horses who do best on the downhill course are generally those with decent form at a mile on the flat, not the 5-6f sprinters trying to stretch out. Not 100%, of course.
By the way, we all know who Morvich was, don't we?
The first California-bred winner of the Kentucky Derby, foaled in the Napa Valley in 1919, pre-wineries. At two, he won all 11 of his starts, including the Hopeful, Saratoga Special, and Pimlico Futurity. As a 3yo, he made his first start of the year in the Kentucky Derby after a speed-oriented preparation (his 12th consecutive win), but his faulty front legs failed him thereafter and he never won again.
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