Preakness - I don't think I like anyone

[blackthroatedwind]

Street Sense worked out a perfect trip in the Derby, so if he should run slightly worse in the Preakness it won't be because he bounced, it will almost certainly be due to circumstances. Hard Spun, while setting a strong pace that killed the roaches chasing him, was still able to dictate the pace in the Derby. Should the speed horses in the Preakness force him into the role of a chaser, or worse - embroil him in a speed duel, he will also most likely run worse due to race dynamics. Both situations could very possibly lead to what a simplistic analysis will call a bounce or regression when in fact it will be a very simple result of differing race dynamics.

This is very much the problem with the bounce excuse. Since the sheets don't take pace into account they explain performances incorrectly. While I am willing to admit regression is possible, though highly unlikely, far more horses that are considered to have " bounced " actually got favorable setups one day and then unfavorable ones the next.