TFM, when the fractions are 25.93 - 51.07 - 1:16.37 in just an 8.5 furlong race and you are trapped in behind horses ... it's a terrible setup. Nashoba's Key was able to find room and unleashed a 5 and change final 1/16th of a mile over a dull surface to win going away. By comparison, the fractions in the Clement Hirsch the next year were 23.34 - 46.53 - 1:10.75. They were 23.86 - 48.84 - 1:13.64 last year when Zenyatta was life and death to make up the needed ground on Anabaa's Creation while closing in that race.
As far as Awesome Gem goes - the pace was a pokey 1:15.12 going 10 furlongs - but he was always saving ground and was just 1.5 lengths back after six furlongs. He didn't have his main rival trying to trap him behind a tiring horse.
Saving ground on the turns is always a good thing - being patient is always a good thing - but when a race is basically reduced to a trot for 7 furlongs and an all-out sprint for a final 1.5 furlongs - I'd rather be in the clear if I'm on the best horse.
Nashoba's Key beat the piss out of Balance in all 3 synthetic meetings anyway. Different tracks and different pace scenerios - it didn't matter. Poor Zenyatta never got to enact revenge on Nashoba's Key for what she did to her sister.
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