In the run up to the 2015 Kentucky Derby, the Thorobros took a good hard look at the past 20 years of Derbies and tried to rank the top twelve. We were able to arrive at this highly scientific ranking through a complicated logarithm that generated a foolproof list of the best Kentucky Derbies of the past two decades. This year’s renewal of America’s most famous horse race looks to be particularly strong – perhaps we will have a new addition to these rankings come May 3, 2015.
Number 5: 2007 Street Sense
On November 4, 2006, Street Sense, trained by Carl Nafzger and ridden by Calvin Borel, dominated the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile held at Churchill Downs. The son of Street Cry’s ten length, rail skimming romp marked the largest margin of victory in the race’s 23 year history—a history that includes the “Here…indeed… is…a…superstar!” coronation of Arazi in 1991. As a result of his performance, Street Sense earned two year old champion honors and was immediately stamped the early favorite for the 2007 Kentucky Derby.
This side of the Curse of Apollo, however, in 2007, no Derby jinx was more publicized than the failure of the previous 22 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winners to win the Run For the Roses. Further, no two year old champion had won the event since Spectacular Bid in 1979.
So that was the challenge facing Street Sense entering the 2007 Kentucky Derby– avoiding the misfortunes bestowed upon previous two year old champions and breaking the Breeders’ Cup Derby drought.
Prelude
Street Sense’s three year old campaign began in the Tampa Bay Derby and featured a show down with highly regarded Any Given Saturday. As Any Given Saturday loomed large on the outside entering the stretch at TBD, Street Sense launched his signature rail skimming run and emerged with a short lead. Any Given Saturday battled back and the two horses crossed the finish line in synch. Street Sense won the head bob.
It was then off to Lexington for a run on the Polytrack in the Blue Grass Stakes. Calvin “Bo-rail” was not able to angle the even money favorite to the inside and had to settle for an outside rally, which involved some bumping with Great Hunter and Teuflesberg. Four horses made a mad dash for the finish where Dominican proved a nose better than Street Sense.
The Race
Despite, two game performances at three and his two year old season credentials, Street Sense would not be declared the morning line favorite for the 2007 Derby. That honor was bestowed upon Curlin—an undefeated Asmussen trained super-star in waiting—who had won the Rebel and Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn. Like Street Sense though, Curlin was also battling history. Having not run as a two year old, Curlin looked to overcome the vaunted Curse of Appollo.
In addition to the debate over who should be the morning line favorite, Derby week 2007 also featured perhaps the most controversial workout in the race’s history. Head strong colt, but “wise guy” horse, Hard Spun blazed a five furlong work on Monday before the Derby in a jaw dropping 57 and change. Pundits everywhere began criticizing trainer Larry Jones for letting the horse run his race five days too early.
Yet, when the gates opened and Tom Durkin bellowed “And they’re off in the Kentucky Derby,” it was Hard Spun who broke alertly and picked up right where left off from his Monday workout. With pressure from Teufelsberg and Cowtown Cat, Hard Spun fired a 46 and 1 half mile and entered the far turn with a two length lead. Meanwhile, post time second choice Curlin and post time favorite Street Sense were 15th and 19th respectively at first call. As Hard Spun tried to steal the race on the front end, NBC conveniently shifted to an aerial view which depicted a blue and yellow blur—seemingly affixed to the rail–zeroing in on the lead horses. In a move and ride for the ages, Bo-Rail passed 17 horses without having to leave the friendly confines of the one path. He then angled Street Sense into the lane around the far turn. Street Sense glided by Hard Spun, and the ghosts of past fallen Breeders Cup Juvenile champions, drawing clear for an historical two and a quarter length victory.
A game Hard Spun finished second. Notably, all other horses near the lead had wilted to finish in the bottom 15, only further vindicating Hard Spun’s effort. Curlin and his long strides had difficulty finding space in the 20 horse field and by the time he was clear, it was too little too late. The best he could do was a never threatening third.
Street Sense paid $11.80 to win—the highest-priced winning favorite in Derby history.
Here’s the replay with aerial view of Street Sense’s epic 2007 Derby move
The Aftermath
Two weeks later at Pimlico, Street Sense again passed a game Hard Spun in the stretch. For a moment, he appeared to be 2/3’s of the way towards immortality. However, Curlin, who Street Sense had passed at the top of the stretch, was bearing down with his long thundering strides. The two horses hooked up for the final few jumps and bobbed heads to the finish. Curlin won the photo by a nose, denying Street Sense’s triple crown bid.
Preakness replay.
Street Sense would return to the races that summer in upstate New York, sweeping the Jim Dandy and Travers (the latter over a game Grasshopper) at Saratoga. After a second place finish in the Kentucky Cup Classic on Polytrack, Street Sense headed to the Jersey Shore for a Breeders’ Cup Classic showdown in the slop with Hard Spun and Curlin. In his final career start, Street Sense never looked comfortable and finished a disappointing fourth behind Curlin and Hard Spun.
Street Sense was retired and sold to Darley Stud where he has enjoyed success as a stallion, siring star fillies Unlimited Budget and Sweet Reason. Street Sense will also be represented in this year’s Derby as connections of his son Ocho Ocho Ohco announced that the colt will try to follow in his father’s footsteps.
Calvin Borel would somehow better his 2007 Kentucky Derby ride, with an even more amazing rail skimming rally on 50-1 shot Mine That Bird in the 2009 Kentucky Derby. Borel would win the Derby again in 2010 on Super Saver, giving the Cajun three Derby victories in a four year span. He’s scheduled to ride the “other Zayat”, El Kabeir, in the 2015 Kentucky Derby.
