My Pal Charlie
 

Where did that come from?

His daddy.

& the very nice inside trip.

Macho Again had the same inside trip and My Pal Charlie dusted him. The time was wicked, but you don't believe in times, so I doubt you care.

he ran big in the northern dancer, not sure about the wv derby but he figured to run well here..

He wasn't spotting 7 lbs like in WVA nor was he chasing an insanely fast pace like last time (22 3/5), which ended in all the pace horses collapsing.

In retrospect, when did Macho Again become such a killer? His whole reputation of somehow being above the second tier 3yos is based on a whatever 2nd in the Preakness, a somewhat lucky win in the oddly run, wet Jim Dandy, and a troubled trip in the slow-paced Travers.

He might have been the worst heavy favorite in the Super Derby in years.

Oh wait. That's Grasshopper...

Not exactly.
MA was forced to chase early, even the announcer notes that he was 'pushed along' to keep up; then he gets shuffled back on the turn, losing significant ground and momentum; then he's hustled again, in a drive from mid turn.