West Coast handled the Kentucky Derby, Preakness, Belmont, Haskell, Jim Dandy, Blue Grass, Florida Derby, Indiana Derby, Ohio Derby, Matt Winn, Tampa Bay Derby, Sam Davis and Fountain of Youth winners in front-running Travers score.
I don’t know what else the late developing Bob Baffert trainee could have done to push himself to the top of the heap of the three year old class of 2017. Not that it really matters in August, but West Coast is still learning the game and it is more than likely we haven’t seen his best.
Like with Arrogate last year Bob has been patient and conservative for “Bob” and it looks like it has paid off for West Coast. Mike Smith took him right to the top and he cruised all the way turning back challenges from Irad and Gunnevera, neither of whom could threaten him when it counted. Gunnevera made a menacing move from off the pace but it took its tool and he could not gain on West Coast when Mike asked for that second gear and lead change.
