Two G1 wins in which the race completely collapsed into his lap. If JV wasn't soiling himself over Nate's Mineshaft getting loose, Wise Dan would've won.

Ron the Greek was an extremely fortunate winner tonight, no doubt about it. However, I think you're being overly critical of Velazquez's ride. Wise Dan is always forwardly placed, and he didn't engage Nate's Mineshaft prematurely at all. Wise Dan was very average last night, further adding to the mystery that is Charles Lopresti, whose horses are nearly impossible to predict.

I respectfully disagree. I think once he saw that Fort Larned was going to press Nate's Mineshaft he should've tried to back off some. Then I thought he asked the horse too early (~ the 3/8 pole) considering who was in front of him and the six furlong splits he just made WD run. Was it a god-awful ride? No. But I thought it was panicky. I also think WD ran pretty well after getting mugged on the first turn by FL and being put too close to the pace. Obviously Nate's Mineshaft ran better than I thought he would as well.

Far from the worst.

Everyone on here can name one guy who you couldn't touch for that award.

Well they didn't. It was a total hunch play horse due to the name.

In my opinion, the difference between last night and the prior two races in which JV rode Wise Dan was that he did not drag him around the track in the Foster. Velazquez had been on a keg of dynamite much of the way in the Clark and Ben Ali. Perhaps it was the bump early in the race that knocked him off stride a bit, or maybe the stronger pace. Here is his running line from the Foster:



Here's his running line from the Clark:



For whatever reason, he was flat last night. CJ or someone who's far better with pace figures can weigh in, but at least according to the Moss Figs, the Foster had the strongest pace of a two-turn race he has been in since the 2011 Alysheba, where he got buried.

Nice line from Mike Smith...

"I could have ridden her backwards today and she still would have won.”

I dont really disagree. I said I think he is OK. Ok as in, no one is really that good right now. So he is as OK as everyone else.

Well, I was close. Former claimer Papaw Bodie, Blue Grass winner Stately Victor, and Queen'splatekitten are nominees to the Hollywood Gold Cup from out of town.

Queen'splatekitten is also entered in the Poker next week, so a Grade 3 turf mile may take away from the field.

At least the filly Lovethewayyouare lends some Grade 1 firepower to the field.