CALL it star performances and performers, with an emphasis on the plural.

Last year, American Pharoah led the sport in isolation, a solo performance, barely a backup singer in sight. This year, there were stars, many of them, the likes of Tepin, Frosted, Flintshire, Nyquist, Gun Runner, Exaggerator and Miss Temple City producing big performances on big days. When it was all said and done, though, the year belonged to four horses, on back-to-back cards in the California sun.