Running in only his fourth race, Kandaly was well back early while Argolid set fast fractions.

"It kind of fell into our lap with the fast fractions," McGaughey said.

For a moment, it looked as if the 1-5 favorite was wilting from the fast fractions, the weight and the baking heat.

They hooked up through very fast fractions of 22.40 and 44.80 before Richard R. finally drew clear around the turn.

That is exactly how Pat Day rode him, sending him up against the leader through fast fractions.

Serena's Song, cruising in fast fractions, won the quarter-mile run to the first turn, where all kinds of mayhem took place last year.

Siphon set fast fractions for the first mile, keeping Cigar at his heels.

"Maybe the fast fractions hurt us," suggested his trainer, Ken Smith.

The race was filled with fast fractions, but he found his way.

But he took the lead at the start, stayed close through fast fractions and refused to concede anything when challenged in the home stretch.