Want to know one thing that Nyquist and American Pharoah have in common? The last two Kentucky Derby winners ran the two slowest Preaknesses since Fabius was clocked in 1:58 2/5 in 1956. American Pharoah won in 1:58.46 last year, Nyquist lost to Exaggerator in 1:58.31 on Saturday.

    There are countless others who will have the answer to that riddle, but I'm not nearly smart enough. I do know that the commonly-held theory that today's horses - like today's human athletes - are bigger, faster and stronger, is a lot of baloney. I also know that Curlin popped a 1:53.46 on the board in 2007.

    The track was abominable Saturday and who knows how that affected Nyquist. But we all know that sending him out to joust with Uncle Lino in a :22.38 first quarter was suicide for both of them. I cannot comprehend what Mario Gutierrez thought he would accomplish by not just taking hold of his colt and letting him relax in second. For his part, Fernando Perez on 34-1 Uncle Lino looked like he didn't give a hoot about winning the race, he just wanted to keep Nyquist from winning it. And if that's not the case, just what the hell was he thinking? Perez could just as easily have taken back to second and let Nyquist go to the lead.

    That doesn't take away anything from Exaggerator. Kent Desormeaux gave him a Zenyatta special - sit back on the rail, come flying on the turn and swing out to the middle of the track at the top of the stretch without losing a step. It was race-riding perfection.

    And, of course, the dying sport got lucky again when a record 135,256 showed up for the festivities. It might have been much more if there hadn't been so much room taken up by raincoats and umbrellas. The handle was also a record - $94,127,434. Imagine if people really enjoyed the sport.    

    On the race itself, there was $21,739,774 wagered in the win-place-show pools; $11,464,524 in the exacta pool; $14,017,679 in the trifecta; $7,256,485 in the superfecta, and just $640,946 in the super high 5. That is some serious betting.

    Now, Nyquist has spiked a fever and it was announced today he won't be going on to the Belmont, but Derby starters Destin (6th), Suddenbreakingnews (5th) and Brody's Cause (7th), are returning after skipping the Pimlico race, along with Exaggerator, Cherry Wine and Lani. Two or three more may jump in before entry time. Let's hope the track is fast in Elmont so we can see who's bigger, faster and stronger. This time, Exaggerator will be 3/5. 

    WHERE'S THE BEEF? - I may have missed it, but I still haven't seen the story out of Oceanport, N. J. that tells how exchange wagering has revitalized the sport and saved Monmouth Park from extinction. But I'm patient.

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