I won't disagree sek. I don't see Firing Line trying to go the front cause there's too many fast ones, but I know Stevens won't turn down a good early position if things are clean coming out of the gate.
The start is so chaotic that just obtaining a decent/good spot in the run up to the turn is a big advantage for most of the field.
I don't know if Smith tried to sent Palace to the front cause I haven't watched the race since it ran, but sometimes those horses get excited and just pull the jockey with them.
So many horses get jostled, bumped, checked out of the gate and then the contact running up to the turn, the best a jockey can hope for is get out clean and try to have the horse avoid contact.
Again, a very weak opinion on my part because none of us really know.
