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Horse Racing News and Commentary |
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Street Sense becomes first Breeders Cup Juvenile champ to win Kentucky Derby |
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Written by Gohorsepower.com
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Saturday, 05 May 2007 |
 History was destined to be made at the 2007 Kentucky Derby, America's most prestigious race for three-year-olds. Even the favorites would have to rewrite history, and that's what Street Sense did this Saturday, becoming the first 2-year-old Breeders Cup Juvenile champ to win the 1 1/4 mile Kentucky Derby the next year in his three-year-old campaign, with a victory margin of 2 1/4 lengths over a solid front-running Hard Spun. It was the first Derby win for jockey Calvin Borel and owner/breeder James Tafel, but the second for trainer Carl Nafzger, who also trained 1990 winner Unbridled. Street Sense's bid for the win was nearly identical to his 2006 Breeders Cup Juvenile win over the same track at Churchill Downs, with a rail-skimming trip --this time from as far back as 19th in the 20 horse field.
Street Sense also challenged the history books by entering the Kentucky Derby having only run two Derby preps this year. In the first of those, the Tampa Bay Derby, he also used the rail to sneak from behind off the rail, edging out Todd Pletcher trainee Any Given Saturday. That race was his three-year-old debut, and first race six months after his 10-length BC Juvenile win in November 2006. In April, Street Sense's second and final prep was lost by a nose to Dominican.
This year's Derby runner-up Hard Spun had only previously lost one race in six starts. With hardly any true front-runners in this year's Derby, Hard Spun quickly found himself upfront. He led strongly most of the way and was game for the challenge from Street Sense, finishing in front of third by 5 3/4 lengths, and should remain a seroius threat for classic distances.
Third-place Curlin would have had to become the first horse since 1882 to win the Derby without running as a two-year-old. The Steve Asmussen trainee had won three consecutive starts, beginning with a 14-length maiden win this year. In only his third race he set a record for the Arkansas Derby, winning by 10 lengths. While he may not have won the Derby, he rallied from behind impressively to claim third.
It was not a historic day, however, for trainer Todd Pletcher. Pletcher is the leading trainer in earnings, and has won Best Trainer honors three years in a row, but he entered this year's run for the roses with a Derby record of zero wins for trying with 14 horses in six different years. This year Pletcher had five horses, tying a record, but none of them finished first through four. His starters have won second twice, including last year's Bluegrass Cat.
Imawildandcrazyguy, trained by Bill Kaplan, was fourth. It was the last Kentucky Derby for the colt's jockey Mark Guidry. After achieving his 5,000th win this year, he announced he would retire this Summer.
The Triple Crown trail continues in two weeks, with the Preakness Stakes on Saturday, May 19. Good luck, Street Sense!
More Derby News
KentuckyDerby.com
DRF via NTRA - with Replay
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