– Watch mail this week brought notice of an entry for the Southern California filly Fleetheart, who caught my attention in February after an impressive starter allowance win. “Second career start, first off layoff, up in class, tough, drew off to win with ease,” say my notes on the race. She’s making her third start in Hollywood’s seventh on Wednesday. It’s another class jump and off another layoff, but Fleetheart’s been training great over the Hollywood Cushion Track, has the field’s best Beyers, has shown a willingness to tussle for the lead, and her competition’s a little weak. She’s 5-2 on the morning line, but looks more like 8-5 to me.
– Even though Liquidity broke my heart with his poor showing in the Santa Anita Derby, and did nothing to redeem himself in the Derby (bye-bye, future wager), I’ll be looking forward to his next race (DRF), the June 2 Ohio Derby at Thistledown, where he could meet up with undefeated Withers winner Divine Park (DRF).
Posted by JC in Races/Results on 05/08/2007 @ 11:00 pm / Follow @railbird on Twitter
– A very happy Calvin Borel after the Kentucky Derby:
– And in white tie, on his way to meet the Queen.
– Trainer Carl Nafzger is downplaying Preakness talk, even telling reporters that the race isn’t “even on the radar now” (USA Today), but the Derby winner is almost definitely bound for Baltimore, where he’ll probably meet up with Hard Spun and Curlin again. Others considered possible for the race are Chelokee and Xchanger. Past performances for likely Preakness starters are up on DRF.
– A Street Sense-Hard Spun rivalry is blooming, with trainer Larry Jones appearing to relish the role of potential Triple Crown spoiler. “There hasn’t been a Triple Crown winner since 1978, and there won’t be one this year either, if I have my say” (Baltimore Sun). Hard Spun was one of the horses I had trouble figuring out before the Derby and I’m not so sure I see him turning the tables on Street Sense the next time they meet. But then, both colts progressed well, earning new career-best Beyers in the Derby, and it’s unlikely Street Sense will get the same golden rail trip in “Pino land” as he did at Churchill. One curious thing about Street Sense’s Derby run was the way he moved back to the rail after passing Hard Spun, on his own, rather than continuing to run straight in the two-path. That move, combined with the ducking in during the Bluegrass when Street Sense was forced to run off the rail, certainly suggests a tactical weakness …
Posted by JC in Triple Crown on 05/07/2007 @ 11:00 pm / Follow @railbird on Twitter
– Just as Barbaro smashed the rule against layoffs longer than four weeks when he won last year’s Kentucky Derby, this year’s Derby victor Street Sense (DRF) proved that a horse can win off two preps and that the so-called Juvenile Jinx was just a silly superstition. Jockey Calvin Borel gave Street Sense the same rail ride the two enjoyed in last year’s Breeders’ Cup, let the colt settle into 19th down the backstretch, and then started picking off horses impressively as the field came into the stretch, passing pacesetter and eventual second-place finisher Hard Spun easily (chart). Final time was 2:02.17 and Street Sense earned a new career-best Beyer of 110 for the race.
– Most Derby winners get some rest and a walk the day after, but Carl Nafzger sent Street Sense out for a one-mile jog this morning. “I just think it’s good for him and keeps him healthy,” said Nafzger (Blood-Horse).
– Todd Pletcher is now 0-for-19 in the Derby and the biggest disappointment of his five starters — to me, at least — was Florida Derby winner Scat Daddy, who finished a miserable 18th. “[Jockey Edgar Prado] said he was spinning his wheels down the backside and he didn’t feel like he handled the track very well,” said Pletcher (NY Times). The extra furlong probably didn’t help the son of Johannesburg either.
Posted by JC in Racing on 05/06/2007 @ 11:45 am / Tagged Kentucky Derby / Follow @railbird on Twitter
