I think he was mismanaged. The sudden ship to California for the Sham, taking him off dirt, was one of the most ridiculous recent decisions on a Derby Trail. He was making steady progress, having leaped forward in that first start at three, and Pletcher sends him to the new surface which promptly dulled his form and likely got him muscle sore from the synthetic. It's been downhill from there culminating with Saturday's pop and stop. One proviso on the criticism here is that it may well have been partly or all Jack Wolf's call to go out West.
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The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command. ~ George Orwell, 1984.
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