I found it weird, ironic maybe, that it was the foreign invaders who caused the blistering pace, resulting in a closer winning (albeit closers had been winning most of the afternoon), when the US horses have the rep of being bred too exclusively for speed. Could it have been a case of jockeys’ nerves? I’m pretty sure Lemaire had only the one race mount all day. Maybe Barzalona too.

I'm not so sure it was only nerves although I'm sure that played a part.  I think the main reason was poor execution due to a basic misunderstanding of American dirt routing.  Neither one of them thought of tempering the pace and basically cooked their own geese and several other in the same flock.

Nothing against either rider, in general, because they are both big-time world class.

I hope my friend who knows Japanese sends me any interviews she finds that don't appear here.  I'd love to learn more.

If the Japanese return for another KD [and I'm pretty sure they will because they want the race] I think they are already talking about using a jock who rides regularly in the US.

Same here