that horse got so pumped up over the layoff that they just needed to balance getting into racing shape with maintaining his physical improvements. It's nice to see a 3yo with some base talent be allowed to improve. His was very noticable, although I didn't pay attention until the Preakness day post-parade. He got the right track and opponent to continue to move forward even at nine furlongs that day, but looked like a top animal physically.
At least Flashy Bull made the Foster somewhat decent in terms of adjusted final time. Gomez appeared to have at least been able to make a winning bid and appeared to ride conservatively in spite of having a ton of horse with Magna Graduate. Magna Graduate is no Grade 1 champion, but maybe Gomez let Flashy Bull dominate the top of the stretch.
"When I came off the turn, I thought I had dead aim on (Flashy Bull)," Garrett Gomez said of his view aboard Magna Graduate. "But then (Flashy Bull) kind of kicked on a little more on the inside. My horse had to grind it out. We kind of took him out of his element today, a little further off the pace than usual, to get him to settle."
I guess it is a lot safer to sit back and expect everyone to quit for you going into the turn. Albarado was losing some momentum at the end, but he did a solid job of staying out of that expected speed duel between umphry and wanderin boy without riding passively.
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