Firing blanks

[heavylifting]

You might have missed this beneath all the stellar Saturday stakes action -- Firing Line, which ran a very good 2nd to American Pharoah in last year's Kentucky Derby, returned in Saturday's 4th race at Santa Anita, a NW2x allowance at a mile on the main track. He finished 5th of 6 horses with Flavien Prat in the saddle as the 9-10 favorite. Chart footnote says he broke a step slow, pulled along the rail to gain a stalking position, came off the rail heading for home and weakened, beaten 10-11 lengths. Winner went off at 11-1, place horse was 20-1.