Chris M.s ride on Sheba in the Belmont is why he lost.

On The Line was good at a lot of distances. Most of his stakes wins were in fact longer than 6f.

He was a good sprinter, of course, that isn't the issue. It was whether he was in form or not.

Dispersal outdueled him in the NYRA Mile through very fast fractions (6f 1:08), putting him away and holding off the good closer Sewickley.

We know from his close 3rd place finish (despite getting bushwacked out of the gate) that Dispersal was on his game in the BC, too.

Most of his stakes races were, in fact, longer than 6f.

I don't see how a 5th by 2 in 132.4 is really that bad off form, especially as he was better at the shorter distance of 6f.

As for being outdueled, there was no way he was going to get the lead in the BC sprint, and that was to his advantage. I always felt he was best sitting a short distance back off a fast pace. Something that was likely to happen in the race.

Two horses have already won back from out of Maclean's Music race three weeks ago. Four have run back so far.

* 2nd place finisher Flightofalifetime (95 Beyer against Maclean's Music) - won a fast MSW race under a hand ride on Saturday at Santa Anita. He earned a 94 Beyer.

* 5th place finisher Competent (81 Beyer) ran a 73 Beyer when 4th in MSW next out. He "stumbled at the start"

* 6th place finisher Star Dance MD (beaten 16 lengths with a 69 Beyer) - won on the class drop to MCL $75,000 - he ran a 73.

* 9th place finisher Forward Appeal (beaten 30 lengths with a 32 Beyer) came back to finish 2nd to Star Dance MD and ran a 64

Not surprisingly - the number is holding up.