Quote:
Originally Posted by JimmyEllis
When you enter the stretch dueling with an inferior horse you have two choices:
Fixate on a horse that can't beat you and ask your horse so you can put the other horse away as early as possible
Or
Realize that you can get that one any time you want and that doing it too early allows other horses into the race and your horse might not have anything left.
Pat Day understood this. JV does as well. Espinosa doesn't.
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What are we talking about when we say "inferior horse"? It is not as if Frosted was some 40-1 Durrow ex-claimer rabbit used to soften up Ghostzapper or Commentator.
On form, American Pharoah is a couple of lengths better than Frosted. That doesn't mean he's able to fool with the horse at his leisure.
The way this race shook out was little different than the 1998 Jockey Club Gold Cup (HOY Skip Away softens up Arg champ Gentlemen), the 2004 Personal Ensign (MGSW Roar Emotion softens up HOY Azeri), or the 2010 Personal Ensign (MG1W Life At Ten softens up HOY Rachel Alexandra).