Best individual performance by a Derby horse this year

[KY_Sasquash]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

This may be the most poorly handled Derby horse with a shot since Unbridled's Song. I mean they keep going back to how the horse handles a particular surface. I just dont get it. They have a viable contender in a year with very few of them that dont have big question marks. They could probably have the post time favorite if he were to win the Bluegrass in which he would be third choice at worst. They are either overthinking thesituation or the horse has an issue that they dont want to disclose.

I dont like the surface comparison either and agree it sounds fishy, but I also wonder if they arent trying to ask him to do too much in a short period and ruin their horse for the rest of the year and beyond. If he won the Bluegrass then he'd be one of the top betting choices for the Derby, which would be 3 weeks after the Lane's End, where he just won with his lifetime top Rag. Thus that would be 2 tough races in a row going into the derby on three weeks rest, and his 3rd Triple Crown prep/race since March24. Seems daunting to me. If he wasnt cooked after the Bluegrass, then I think he would after the derby. If you had Hard Spun in your barn, how would you handle him assuming he came out of the Lane's End in good order?