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Whereas last year, the Nyquist-Swipe lopsided rivalry took its show on the road at Keeneland and proved that the West Coast juvenile far outstripped all other regions (as it continued to do through most of the Triple Crown), this year it was decidedly the opposite.
Lookin At Lee has proved to be a good barometer. He was beaten in his 2 starts prior to the BC by Not This Time and Classic Empire each. Both defeated him by open lengths in those respective races. This Saturday, they repeated the form (while finishing close together) with Lookin At Lee several lengths behind in 4th (just behind Practical Joke). So evidently, the KY-based juveniles have the others (CA and NY) over a barrel at this point, and what is tempting is the prospect of a historical Classic Empire-Not This Time rivalry if they can keep it up next spring.
I'm not going to hold my breath on Klimt. The Elusive Quality line is yet another source of unsoundness, and his son Quality Road appears no different. Klimt has terribly wide action and he has labored in his last pair (ominously his only 2-turn starts to date).
Baffert unleashed a new one named Beach Bum by Arch on closing day that romped going 7f in its debut. The bottom side is riddled with Grade 1 winners including Point of Entry, Gold Beauty, Sky Beauty, Maplejinsky, Pine Island, Dayjur, and Pleasant Home.
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KLIMT 
PRACTICAL JOKE 
NOT THIS TIME 
LOOKIN AT LEE
