Drefong returned to his male sprint championship form with a dominating score just now in Saraotga’s Forego Stakes. And as a result, he emphatically reclaimed leadership of his division from Mind Your Biscuits, who did not fire in the Forego, but who did make significant hay while Drefong took his time beginning his 2017 campaign and was busy dumping Mike Smith at Del Mar.

That said, it must be noted that Drefong enjoyed a major pace advantage in the Forego. He was the only true front runner in the field, and after quickly flashing in front, he got away with a a slower pace to the quarter and half than the 3-year-olds posted in the Jerkens in the race before the Forego. But Drefong finished up strongly, getting the seven furlongs in 1:21.12, .84 seconds faster than the final time of the Jerkens.

It probably should also be noted that while Drefong had a big pace advantage in the Forego, such edges don’t guarantee anything. Just as Songbird.