Street Sense works: Answer Thurs.
 

Comming up about noon central on tvg

Anyone see the workout?

49 seems slow, probably to give him an excuse not to run

What I was thinking when I saw it.

It doesn't look slow in comparison to all his works. Obviously we've seen him working 5f more than we have 4f.

05/30/2007 CD 4F :49.00 Dirt Fast B
05/15/2007 CD 5F 1:00.00 Dirt Fast B
05/01/2007 CD 5F 1:01.00 Dirt Fast B
04/24/2007 CD 5F :59.00 Dirt Fast B
04/10/2007 CD 5F 1:04.00 Dirt Fast B
04/04/2007 CD 5F :58.40 Dirt Fast B
03/28/2007 PMM 4F :48.00 Dirt Fast B
03/14/2007 PMM 4F :51.00 Dirt Fast B
03/08/2007 PMM 5F 1:01.00 Dirt Fast H
03/04/2007 PMM 4F :47.00 Dirt Fast H

And according to DRF, sure looked OK to me-
"Over a fast track, Street Sense proceeded smoothly through splits of 12.80, 24.60, and 36.60 before hitting the wire in 49 and galloping out five furlongs in 1:01.80."

I was standing in the clocker stand when he worked. Thought he looked good but not great (i know that is very subjective but I have seen him work before)

His trainer is a good man and stands by what he says and has not strayed away from how he trains his stock. I dont really like to hear that he will "use it as an excuse" not to run. I think he will be true to his word and let the horse tell him if he is ready to run. Personally I dont really think he as anything to gain from the race and I would wait and maybe try the Stephen Foster (we know he likes CD) and then on to the Travers.

Honestly, I like Carl. I think he is an excellent horseman. Not to say "it is an excuse" but it may be a sign that the horse isn't a ready as he was going into the Derby. I don't think that Carl would run the horse if he didn't think he could win it, which is why I don't think we will see SS in the Belmont. I can't fault his owner and trainer for that. They doing right by the horse. Horse first, then the sport.

LOL at him trying the Stephen Foster. That's ripe.

What? Outside of Invasor, who is heads and shoulders better than Street Sense at Churchill? Perfect Drift? :p

Why would he take on older horses in the Stephen Foster when there are about 293 races for straight 3YO's between now and the Classic? Nafzger would get roasted by the world's supply of horse racing writers and fans if he were to make that kind of decision.

When was the last time a 3YO competed in the Stephen Foster let alone won the thing? Serious question.

I don't know but what does that matter? Who is the better older horse that will surely defeat SS at Churchill? Pretty thin ranks in the older division right now, and he is very comfortable throwing out 110 or better beyers under the Twin Spires. He'd be tough to handle I think.

If he doesn't run in the Belmont.....he's not running in the Foster.

You'll see him again in early August in either the Haskell or Jim Dandy..probably 75/25 in favor of the Haskell.

After which he will run in the Travers.

And after that---anyone of a number of different things could happen. He may train up to the Classic off his Travers race...or he run in the Jockey Club Gold Cup....or he may run in one of two Meadowland Stakes...or he could make his final Classic prep in the Kentucky Cup Classic over Turfway's Polytrack. The reasoning for that being...his two big wins in the Juvie and Derby both came after running on Polytrack in the prior start.

I think this was more a hypothetical discussion about whether Street Sense could win the SF against older horses, and not so much a predictive discussion about where he is likely to run. Personally although I think he could easily win the SF I highly doubt that he would run in it. However, I don't pretend to know where he'll run.

I do think that if he is around for the Classic that he'll do the poly prep as was suggested by DrugS. Its worked twice, why try another approach now?

Just a thought but if they think they can beat Curlin, and they think Curlin has a serious chance of winning the Belmont, they really need to go. Otherwise there's a serious likelihood of losing the 3yo Eclipse. Now if they're willing to risk that, fine, I'm not judging. If they think they've got a better chance at waiting until the Classic that's cool and a win there'll get them 3yo honors not to mention HOY.

Curlin could pick up other races without facing SS before the BCC so you can't count on the opportunity before then. Tafel was concerned about picking up the Juvenile championship, worrying that they'd say the 10 lengths in the BCJ was a fluke. I'd bet he's thinking about finding a way to balance what's best for the horse and how to get the Eclipse. That may or may not be the Belmont. I'm curious as to what course he thinks will get the job done.

Wanna know what I think?:D

















Actually see a better spot at CD myself...he is proven there and the distance probably will be better as well. What the hell...take on the old guys!!



Gotta Go!!

I know that two of Pletcher's "handicap" horses, Magna Graduate and Master Command are pointing to the race. I may be in the minority of people here who think that Master Command can very easily beat Street Sense should there not be a ton of early speed. I'd still like to see the race and find out though if they're not going to the Belmont.

NT

Maybe if Pletcher cut their cock and balls off and entered them as mares. His record with the boys is less than stellar.

What...no avatar for this one?:)

Maybe it won't be, buddy ol' pal, just thought a little drop in distance at a track he does well at might help out rather than running 1 1/2 at a track he' s never seen & a distance that he'll most likely never...ever...see in his probable shortened career.

Plus, he'd get a ton of weight from the older horses in the Foster. I think because of the weight factor, the extra week, the fact that it's at Churchill, and the fact that there isn't much in the older horse division to scare u outside of Invasor........the Foster would be the perfect spot. I think that if Curlin were to win the Belmont and Street Sense beat older in a grade one, it would put Street Sense in the lead at this point for top 3yo honors. The purse is not bad either and it's at a distance that we know he can handle on a track that we know he likes as opposed to two unknowns in the Belmont.

Sorry to be a piss pot, thought you were gonna start things up again even after I agreed with you(especially about SS!!) I think running him back at CD and then on to Monmouth would be a good route for his connections to take.

I also agree with what KG says.

I'm sorry, I must be in the minority here, but I'm still chuckling at the thought of Street Sense heading to the Stephen Foster to take on older horses.

Beside the fact that it would be an unusual move for a three year old, what is so funny about it? Would Street Sense be horribly outclassed by Master Command or Magna Graduate? I'm pretty sure he would have a nice weight break. I guess I don't get what is so funny about it. Even though I know he will not run in the race I'm reasonably confident that under the circumstances he wouldn't have much trouble winning it.

I guess I am the only one who thinks that there's a huge difference between a 3YO in June of his 3YO season and an older horse regardless of weight.

I think it depends on which older horse we're talking about...

Do you guys really think Street Sense is that good that he'll whoop up on whatever handicap horses show up for the Stephen Foster on June 16th? Unless it's some serious chumps, I wouldn't bet a nickel on him to be in the money. Master Command and Magna Graduate are two pretty good horses and at this point in their respective careers, would both have to be favored over Street Sense on a fair track.

in general yes, but aren't we comparing an exceptional 3yo against some rather ho-hum older horses? I mean if you're talking about stand-out classy older horse like Invasor, sure it would be folly to engage him at this point. But these others, to me they're just the best of what's currently around but not any monsters.

Not saying for sure he would whoop up on them, but he'd be competitive and frankly I think he might be the favorite.

Betting favorite? He surely would be, absolutely.

Hypothetically speaking, if he were to go off as the favorite (which I'd agree he would be), why is it such a preposterous idea?

Several 3YO's have won the Met Mile against elders, don't know about the Foster w/ 3YO's but I think it's not the craziest thought if they decide the Belmont isn't the right spot.

Street Sense to skip Belmont
 

http://www.drf.com/news/article/85392.html

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Trainer Carl Nafzger announced at a Thursday morning press conference at Churchill Downs that Street Sense would pass the June 9 Belmont Stakes and instead be pointed for the Travers Stakes at Saratoga, with either the Jim Dandy or Haskell serving as a possible prep race.

Nafzger said that he and Street Sense's owner, Jim Tafel, made the decision jointly after a two-hour discussion Wednesday night.