Street Sense, winner of the Kentucky Derby presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) and one of the favorites for next week's Breeders' Cup Classic - Powered by Dodge (gr. I) at Monmouth Park, will depart from Churchill Downs Oct. 18.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
The eyes of the horse racing world are squarely fixed on next week's Breeders' Cup, with a total of 160 pre-entries (141 individual horses, 19 cross-entered) for 11 races. It will be a year of many firsts for the World Championships.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Bentley Smith's Alabama Stakes (gr. I) winner Lady Joanne continued her preparations for the $2-million Emirates Airline Breeders' Cup Distaff (gr. I) to be run Oct. 27 at Monmouth Park by working a half-mile in :48.60 Oct. 16 at Churchill Downs with regular rider Calvin Borel up.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Street Sense, winner of the Kentucky Derby presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), worked a sharp five furlongs over his home track at Churchill Downs while Curlin got five furlongs in 1:01.20 at Keeneland. Both are training for the Breeders' Cup Classic - Powered by Dodge (gr. I).
Monday, October 15, 2007
James Tafel's Street Sense, winner of this year's Kentucky Derby presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), continued his preparation for the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic - Powered by Dodge (gr. I) with a sharp four-furlong work Oct. 9 at Churchill Downs.
Tuesday, October 09, 2007
Now, that was a super weekend of racing. Whether it was Turfway Park's Polytrack, Santa Anita's Cushion track, or the dirt track at Belmont, this was racing at its best. The races were thrilling, formful, and showcased a good number of the sport's top stars.
Wednesday, October 03, 2007
There they were at the head of the stretch, and the Sept. 29 Kentucky Cup Classic (gr. II) had developed into the showdown everyone hoped it would be. On the lead, Hard Spun barreled toward the finish line. Just off his hip, Street Sense dug deep to reel him in. This time, unlike in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), Hard Spun would not be denied the victory.
Saturday, September 29, 2007Having the top two finishers in this year's Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) entered in the Sept. 29 Kentucky Cup Classic (gr. II) has led to an increase in local and national coverage of the event.
Friday, September 28, 2007Sitting in the stakes barn at Turfway Park two days before the Kentucky Cup Classic (gr. III), Craig Callis still has a hard time believing that a $2,300 yearling purchase actually brought him here.
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Making final preparations for the Oct. 27 Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) at Monmouth Park, Jim Tafel's Street Sense and Rick Porter's Hard Spun will have a much-anticipated rematch in the Sept. 29 Kentucky Cup Classic (gr. II) over Turfway Park's Polytrack.
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Carl Nafzger, trainer of Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) winner Street Sense, discussed his reasoning for racing against grade I winner Hard Spun in the Sept. 29 Kentucky Cup Classic (gr. II) at Turfway Park during a National Thoroughbred Racing Association media teleconference Sept. 25.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
James Tafel's Street Sense, winner of this year's Kentucky Derby presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), tuned up for a run in the Sept. 29 Kentucky Cup Classic (gr. II) at Turfway Park with a five furlong work Sept. 25 at Churchill Downs.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) winner Street Sense and Derby runner-up Hard Spun will meet for the third time in next Saturday's $350,000 Kentucky Cup Classic (gr. II) at Turfway Park, it was announced Sept. 22.
Saturday, September 22, 2007
A filly from the family of Mr. Greeley and Street Sense topped day 10 of the Keeneland September yearling sale. Tom Gentry, agent, bought the Hold That Tiger filly for $182,000 from Four Star Sales, agent.
Thursday, September 20, 2007
James Tafel's Street Sense, winner of this year's Kentucky Derby presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) and Saratoga's Travers Stakes(gr. I), continued to crank up for his final prep race before the Oct. 27 Breeders' Cup Classic powered by Dodge (gr. I) when he worked a sharp five furlongs Sept. 19 at Churchill Downs.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
James Tafel's Street Sense, winner of this year's Kentucky Derby presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), turned in a solid five-furlong work at Churchill Downs Sept. 11 in his first major training move since a victory in the $1 million Travers Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga Aug. 25.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007Only days after a record-breaking Saratoga meet ended, the 33-day Belmont Park Fall Championship Meeting stand kicks off Sept. 7 with the 25th running of the $100,000-added General Douglas MacArthur, a one-mile test for older New York-breds.
Thursday, September 06, 2007
James Tafel's Street Sense, winner of this year's Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) and the Aug. 25 Travers Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga, returned to his home base at Churchill Downs early Sept. 3 to continue training for his fall campaign.
Monday, September 03, 2007
Trying to catch Calvin Borel for an interview during his last day of racing at Saratoga was like attempting to pin down a darting dragonfly, and the Cajun jockey looked the part in Bill Farish's brilliant green and yellow silks as he scurried back to the private courtyard behind the jockeys' room before the fourth race of the day.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
A long-range look at how the Breeders' Cup Classic Powered by Dodge (gr. I) is shaping up, ranked in order, and with the latest odds in the Wynn Las Vegas Race Book.
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
By Dan Liebman - Thankfully, someone at the time did have an interest in standing Danzig, Storm Cat, and Mr. Prospector, respectively. And, our breed has been changed forever because of their decisions.
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Two days after the Travers Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga Race Course, the top four finishers in the $1-million race were all recovering well to the satisfaction of their trainers.
Monday, August 27, 2007
Though there are four more months left in the 2007 racing season, Street Sense's narrow victory in the Aug. 25 Travers Stakes (gr. I) is sure to provoke discussion of whether he has already done enough to sew up the 3-year-old championship.
Monday, August 27, 2007The Travers blanket - red and white carnations, white "T" in the middle - hangs in front of Street Sense's stall at the barn of Carl Nafzger and Ian Wilkes. The bright colors are still vibrant, and Nafzger is still savoring the victory this morning
Monday, August 27, 2007The canoe in the infield pond has been painted in James Tafel's colors of yellow and blue. Street Sense is safely recovering from his exertion. Another Travers is in the record books. Talk about feeling the air go out of the balloon
Sunday, August 26, 2007
He was the favorite for a reason, and Saturday afternoon Street Sense proved he belongs at the top of the 3-year-old division when he turned back a determined Grasshopper after hooking up in a fierce duel at the head of the stretch in the 138th running of the Travers Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga Race Course.
Sunday, August 26, 2007Carl Nafzger walks across Clare Court with Street Sense striding beside him. The colt is alert, but relaxed; he walks confidently, as if he owns the track. Once over the Clare Court training track, he stops and pricks his ears. Lifts his head. Looks for cameras. Definite pose.
Friday, August 24, 2007
Carl Nafzger says he does not worry about the competition going into a race, because you can only train one horse, and that's your horse. Were he concerned about a specific runner for Street Sense to beat in Saturday's running of the Travers (gr. I), however, it would be the Phipps Stable's Sightseeing, who is coming into the Aug. 25 race in what trainer Shug McGaughey terms the "best mental condition" this year.
Thursday, August 23, 2007While slightly difficult, it is entirely possible to come to Saratoga without watching a horse race. You can come, for instance, to enter the hot dog eating contest â€" and if you are like Crazy Legs Conti from New York City and can consume 21.5 hot dogs as he did yesterday, you can also win.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
The general consensus is that the $1-million Travers Stakes (gr. I) will be a cake walk for Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) champion Street Sense. When the post positions were drawn Aug. 22 and the son of Street Cry was installed as a 3-5 morning line favorite, that line of thinking was confirmed.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007Wednesday morning, the cameramen are in full swing at Saratoga. In the paddock, they cluster around for the Travers draw, tripods balanced like long-legged storks. In the winners' circle, they form an orderly line for Senator Bruno's conference on the fight against horse slaughter. Down near the rail, they lift cameras to shoulders and zoom in for local track reports.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Street Sense, winner of this year's Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), will start from post position number four in Saturday's running of the $1 million Travers Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga Race Course.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) champion Street Sense turned in a five-furlong breeze over Saratoga's main track Aug. 21, his final work for the 138th running of the $1 million Travers Stakes (gr. I).
Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) winner Street Sense galloped 1 1/8 miles over Saratoga's main track Aug. 20, and weather permitting, will perform a five-furlong work tomorrow in preparation for the 138th running of the $1 million Travers Stakes (gr. I) Aug. 25. Curlin breezed for the first time in three weeks as well.
Monday, August 20, 2007
With one week remaining until the $1-million Travers Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga Race Course, top trainers in New York are aiming for a single target in the stalwart form of Street Sense, who will head up the field of the Aug. 25 "midsummer Derby" with a solid bullseye on his back.
Saturday, August 18, 2007
There was the rubber match between Street Sense and Curlin in the Belmont Stakes (gr. I). Didn't Happen. There was the showdown between the two in the Travers Stakes (gr. I). Not going to happen. There was Rags to Riches headlining Lady's Day at Belmont for the CCA Oaks (gr. I). Didn't Happen. There was Rags in the Saratoga limelight for the Alabama. Not going to happen.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Street Sense, winner of the May 5 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) and the July 29 Jim Dandy (gr. II), was back on the main track at Saratoga Race Course Aug. 15 at 7:30 a.m. for another workout.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
With 12 days remaining until the 138th running of the Travers Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga, the field is starting to take shape.
Monday, August 13, 2007
Street Sense, winner of the July 29 Jim Dandy (gr. I) and the May 5 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), worked a half-mile in :49 flat at Saratoga Race Course Aug. 8.
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
Street Sense is back and so is Rags to Riches. All is once again right with the racing world. If Curlin emerges victorious from next week's Haskell Invitational Handicap (gr. I), then the Breeders' Cup World Championships will have the star power it so desperately needs.
Wednesday, August 01, 2007
Street Sense made his return to racing a successful one Sunday with a facile victory at short odds in the $500,000 Jim Dandy (gr. II) at Saratoga.
Sunday, July 29, 2007Perch on a picnic table near a small barn in Clare Court and take a long look at this year's Kentucky Derby winner...
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Trainer Carl Nafzger will saddle Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) winner Street Sense in the Jim Dandy (gr. II) July 29. The race will make his first start since finishing a neck behind Curlin in the Preakness Stakes (gr. I).
Friday, July 27, 2007The Super Derby at Harrah's Louisiana Downs will double in value to $1 million if Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) winner Street Sense, Preakness Stakes (gr. I) winner Curlin, or Belmont Stakes (gr. I) winner Rags to Riches participate in the Sept. 22 race.
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Street Sense, winner of this year's Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Barnds (gr. I), worked four fulongs in :51.59 July 26 at Saratoga Race Course.
Thursday, July 26, 2007Spend a perfect day at the Spa... There will be a few hours to lose at the Oklahoma training track, and you'll stand at the rail and breathe the pungent, pleasing odor of sweaty flanks and dew-stained grass, watching as horses and riders come lolloping over the freshly-turned dirt course.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Any number of horses -- Lava Man, Street Sense, Rags to Riches, Papi Chullo, Sun King, Any Given Saturday, and Curlin -- could fill the void left by the recent departures of some of racing's biggest stars.
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
TVG announced Monday, July 23, that it will air live racing and on-site programming during opening week of the 2007 Saratoga meet.
Monday, July 23, 2007The 2007 running of Monmouth Park's $1-million Haskell Invitational Presented by Vonage (gr. I) promises to be one of the best ever, with Preakness (gr. I) winner Curlin, Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) runner-up Hard Spun, and the undefeated Cable Boy heading the field.
Friday, July 20, 2007
James Tafel's Street Sense, winner of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), turned a few heads at Churchill Downs Thursday morning, breezing five furlongs in a bullet :57 2/5, in preparation for his return in either the Haskell Invitational Handicap (gr. I) or grade II Jim Dandy Stakes, the more likely spot of the two.
Thursday, July 19, 2007