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I think one underrated thing that Leon did, that comes from experience, is the ground saving and patience in a 20 horse field.
The tendency, not only because you don't want to get blocked, but also because of just pure concern for one's own safety, is to want to stay outside. Wide trips can work in the Derby on favorites- I call it "the Cigar ride"- this was the ride we saw so many times from Jerry Bailey on Cigar where he would just keep the horse on the outside, traveling more ground but always in the clear, and because Cigar was much the best he would just make his move and win the race.
But when you are on a longshot, you need every advantage you can get, and that means saving ground, taking the risk of traffic, and steering your horse through trouble. We saw these rides from Shoemaker on Ferdinand, from Calvin Borel on Street Sense and Mine That Bird, and from Leon on Saturday. The worst thing you can do is park your longshot out in the 7 path where you lose all sorts of ground on the turns and finish up the track. You have to give him as best a shot you can to win the race.
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