Is this group of 3 yos....

[The Indomitable DrugS]

Giacomo also had trip excuses in each of his three preps...two mild and one extreme.

And he turned in a pair of alarmingly fast workouts in his two works going into the Derby...after working extremely slow all through his 3yo season leading up to that point.

On top of that - he got a field loaded with speed horses and the rabbit Spanish Chestnut (a 2yo sale phenom) was entered by Tabor (Bandini) solely to do an Inner Light on Bellamy Road.

All of the other closers in that Derby stunk beyond belief - that is unless you considered Afleet Alex a closer at that time....

And calling AA a "closing router" would have been a big reach at the time - after all he had a sprint pedigree, was swerving through the stretch in the Hopeful, and lost each of his first three career starts going a route of ground.

Even though Giacomo didn't really do much running in that Derby win - and was moderate there after - I would enthusiastically bet a horse who had his form going into the Derby against this group of horses.