Yikes

[The Indomitable DrugS]

I guess if a knock can be found on Curlin's performance....he was up close to a tremendously slow early pace.

There were two MSW races earlier on in the card.

*Wire-to-wire winner of the 1st Mike's Honey Bunny, a NY bred filly who never was on the lead at any point in her career, ran an opening quarter in 23.44

* In the other MSW race, Cantallbechiefs, who also has never sniffed the early lead in his career, ran an opening quarter in 23.50.

Both faster than the 23.56 pace set by Deadly Dealer. To get a better idea how slow the pace was....Slew By Slew---who rallied from DEAD LAST around two-turns, in each of his last two starts, was the horse in 2nd pressing the pace.

So---the nice trip and slow pace, which really helped Deadly Dealer even more than Curlin, should be taken into account when you factor in the sparkling final furlong....and also, the last 1/8th at Oaklawn Park historically seems to yield faster times than other tracks do.