Curlin's Legacy

[RolloTomasi]

Originally Posted by DaHoss9698

We're going to have to agree to disagree about this. I saw nothing in any of Street Sense's efforts after the Preakness that make me think he would have been trading decisions with Curlin. Looking back, I think that Preakness effort was the beginning of the end for him. He ran okay in the Jim Dandy and Travers. He also ran okay in that race at Turfway. But in my opinion, he was a different animal. While Curlin was getting better, he was declining. I know Curlin's Haskell was so-so. But nothing after that was.

You're right as far as his Saratoga performances leaving a bit to be desired, but at Turfway, he was likely "prepping" (as he did at Keeneland), typical of Carl Nafzger leading up to big races (see Unbridled and Banshee Breeze also).

Even still, the Saratoga races can be forgiven in that the Jim Dandy was a comeback race and, though you can certainly disagree, the Travers was too far. In the BC Classic, he made his move alongside Curlin but the distance and likely the "tired horse" factor came into play (not to mention the surface).

Anyways, what was being assumed with Street Sense at 4 was that he would obviously get a break after the BC and would be 100% at the start of his campaign. I'd imagine he'd uncork efforts similar to the ones Victory Gallop displayed in 1999 (all 2 or 3 of them).