Cork him

[Bobby Fischer]

Brown couldn't have run very much faster once he made his move. Maybe a fraction of a second. Maybe.
That is the misconception concerning wrapped up horses and final times.

Where he could have bettred his time was during the begining and middle of the race.
If there are blazing fractions set, and another threatening opponent the final time can be faster.

The other option would be to leave the slow horses behind on the backstretch and go out and race the clock on his own.

Horses don't often run away from the group as in Secretariat's Belmont. Today Secretariat would have been wrapped up on the backstretch and raced with the group of horses. He wouldn't have run his amazing final time.

A beyer from the preakness doesn't measure the limits of Big Brown's ability unless you believe that he couldn't have gone any faster.