Right, but top speed is determined more by the amount of coins you have than your kart/character anyway - there's more difference between having 0 coins and 10 coins than there is between being Baby Peach or Dry Bowser, from my experience. If you're getting hit a lot, you're not reaching your top speed anyway, because firstly you get stopped and secondly you lose coins. The most important thing is firstly to not get hit and secondly put yourself in a position to get coins quickly again, and acceleration is what helps the latter.
I too tend to notice Random being dominated by the Babies. Also the Inklings, but that's because they're the character of choice for obsessives, I guess.
I also feel double items massively advantages the early leader. You can't draw a coin and suddenly lack defence, and the middle of the pack is a lot more aggressive now people can use an item and still immediately put back up a shield, so everyone in the middle decimates each other and the leader is ever harder to catch. That's yet another reason to favour acceleration over top speed.
