So let’s analyze that Derby before moving on.
Street Sense started comfortably and took back to find a spot along the rail. And while turning into the backstretch he was last but one (stretch-running longshot Imawildandcrazyguy, who ended fourth), he was also chasing a fast pace being set by Hard Spun.
A lot was made of him coming from 19th (forgetting, of course that in 1981, Pleasant Colony came from 21st). But if you noticed around the turn when the rail path seemed to have a “Horses Named Street Sense Only” sign, that he passed a pack of 11 horses, six in the first row and five in the second, in a span of 19 strides. He went from 14th to third in about eight seconds.
From there, he had enough momentum to overtake Hard Spun early in the stretch. It helped as well, that it seemed most of the field were just not ready to run the distance.
Here’s the field that will line up on Saturday afternoon in Maryland.
1. MINT SLEWLEP: Has a maiden and allowance win to his credit and was a dull fourth in the dull Withers mile at Aqueduct. Pass.
2. XCHANGER: Dominated the Federico Tesio at Pimlico. Great! He can win at this track against inferior competition. Against this bunch? Nope.
3. CIRCULAR QUAY: Todd Pletcher decides to bring this one back. He had a little more traffic problems in the Derby than Street Sense or he would have been closer. Street Sense can adapt to any pace scenario. This guy NEEDS a fast pace to collapse in front of him. That may not be the case on Saturday. Still, I see him in the trifecta.
4. CURLIN: This horse proved, even in finishing third, that he is a MAJOR talent. I would hope that he doesn’t go in the Belmont and instead rests for a fall campaign where he can be a monster. I’m putting him second.
5. KING OF THE ROXY: Skipped the Derby after finishing second to Tiago in the Santa Anita Derby. Has stakes wins at two and three and could fill the superfecta spot at a price.
6. FLYING FIRST CLASS: Won the Derby Trial at Churchill a week before the main event. Was way back in his other two stakes efforts. An also-ran here.
7. HARD SPUN: This horse turned a super workout early in Derby week into an incredible run in the main event. However to put two efforts like that back to back is asking way too much. Xchanger will test him early on the front end.
8. STREET SENSE: Has a win at Arlington and a win at Tampa, so he’s more than just a Churchill horse. He has been prepped perfectly. The two-start campaign Carl Nafzger gave him before the Derby guarantees him a fresh horse for the Triple Crown run. He’s at the top of his game. Besides, I want to see the joy on Calvin Borel’s face again.
9. C.P. WEST: Second in the Withers. Way behind Street Sense in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile last year. A fringe player here.
PICKS: Street Sense, Curlin, Circular Quay.
