Three weeks ago, over the same distance, this horse performed decently, jumping slowly and settling towards the rear before making a mid-race move. He showed good acceleration when asked to chase. This time around, he has a two-pound weight reduction but lacks a strong finishing kick and the trainer-jockey combination isn’t ideal. Despite having previously won twice at this distance and showing comparable times to others in the group, drawing a favorable barrier allows for a potential pace-following strategy. The jockey is aware of the horse's weaknesses, with active work being done on conditioning, but there doesn’t appear to be a clear plan for success.