“When you have that double concentration, it really focuses you. It forces you to not lay back, becomes quite athletic. You don’t show, point, preen or strut, you do. That’s always the sweet spot.”

“I knew National Treasure would be the speed and Muth was outside, so I knew to lay back. Once we got by Newgate, he thought the race was over and I had to gather myself and get him going again. … I’ve got to give Richard Mandella all the credit. He’s got this horse so confident, he thinks he owns the place.”

Oda, 18, secured victory on his own second match point and lay back on the clay in celebration, pulling the wheels off his chair as he did so.

My wife could lay back and suck up all of the praise, but since she's a good sport, she explains to our daughter that they are the same pancakes, from the same company and we prepare them the same way — in the toaster oven, for four minutes, sliced into triangles and served with strawberries and whipped cream.

He lay back on the bed and smiled, and a dimple appeared on his cheek.