Eight Belles form

[horseofcourse]

I mentioned Lawyer Ron...here are his first 6 races...

53, 55, 49, 83, 78, 78

then his next 6 pre-Derby

92, 97, 106, 95, 94, 98.

Same trainer, zero layoff. He also did suffer a minor injury in the Derby I believe.

I guess he could be explained away by his first 6 were on turf or poly and his second 6 all on dirt. (Actually his 83 was on a muddy dirt.). But I would certainly say a big change in form without question. I don't think his first 6 are stating future eclipse winner however. But you actually have TWO jumps in form from his first 3 to his second 3...then from those 3 to his next 6. You go from average low 50s his first 3 to average around 80 his next three to average in the high 90s his next 6.

Don't young horses often just improve sometimes with no layoff as this one did twice??