Quote:
Originally Posted by RolloTomasi
On The Line was good at a lot of distances. Most of his stakes wins were in fact longer than 6f.
He was a good sprinter, of course, that isn't the issue. It was whether he was in form or not.
Dispersal outdueled him in the NYRA Mile through very fast fractions (6f 1:08), putting him away and holding off the good closer Sewickley.
We know from his close 3rd place finish (despite getting bushwacked out of the gate) that Dispersal was on his game in the BC, too.
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Most of his stakes races were, in fact, longer than 6f.
I don't see how a 5th by 2 in 132.4 is really that bad off form, especially as he was better at the shorter distance of 6f.
As for being outdueled, there was no way he was going to get the lead in the BC sprint, and that was to his advantage. I always felt he was best sitting a short distance back off a fast pace. Something that was likely to happen in the race.