Street Sense Derby Beyer: 110
 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...050601117.html

[b]'Street' Gains Cred In Perfect Derby Run

By Andrew Beyer
Monday, May 7, 2007; E01

When the Roman philosopher Seneca made his famous observation, "Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity," he might have been anticipating the 2007 Kentucky Derby.... USE LINK TO READ

Thanks and good read.

"Not only is the rail the shortest way around the track, but the inside part of the Churchill Downs track seemed to be advantageous Saturday -- just as it had when Street Sense won the Breeders' Cup there. After his ground-saving run, Borel angled past one tiring horse, took aim at Hard Spun, and beat him decisively."

Not sure what races Beyer was watching .

Race 1 - Ginger Punch raced 3-4 wide and won
Race 2 - Little Nick split horses to win but he wasnt on the rail
Race 3 - Indian Passage I guess was on the rail
Race 4 - Northern Duke won near the rail but the 12 closed to lose by a neck going 7-8 wide
Race 5 - Saint Addan won and he wasnt on the rail
Race 6 - Turf
Race 7 - Silverinyourpocket won on the rail but Suaveness closed on the outside to lose by a 1/2 length
Race 8 - Hysterical Lady won and wasnt on the rail
Race 9 - Turf
Race 10 - SS won on the rail.

So 8 races and 3 horses won while on the rail. In two of those races the horse that was 7-8 wide closed ground to lose by a neck and 1/2 length. I wouldnt say the rail was adventageous on Saturday like it was on BC day.

I agree with Beyer all-around....

Street Sense figures to get another excellent pace setup once again in the Preakness, but I've watched films of all his races, and I have some doubts regarding how effective he will be if he has to circle horses.

I think he's got a few bad habits and has a little hang in him late, and one of these days, when he catches a real slow paced race, and can't skate inside, he's going to look awfully ordinary on that day.

Could it be the best horse was on the rail.Im sure no one expected SS to be on the rail .It was there for any of the 17 or 18 that were ahead of him. Somr times I wonder why we have photos to determine the winner. It makes no differance who actually wins. We need the "EXPERTS" to anaylize the race to tell who the real winner is.

Beyer picked Street Sense.....it's not like he bet Hard Spun and it's sour grapes.

The other thing is that you have to figure that CB is going to try that rail move at some point and get shut down.
But of course....the most logical place for that to happen would have been in a 20-horse field.....so who knows?
In the Preakness FFC is going to be backing up in a hurry so CB better hope he isn't coming back down the rail.

and he always re-switches leads late down the stretch. he's did it in the BC, Blue Grass and Derby. It's a bit unsettling.

It is really odd that all of his fast decisive wins have come when shooting thru the rail. He has yet to have shown an effective power move circling around horses into the stretch.

When he has tried to go outside you are right, he looked more ordinary.
I'm not trying to be nitpicky, I like the horse and all. Its just odd

I picked Street Sense to win, but that was the most gifted trip I've ever seen in all the Derby's I've watched (which isn't as many as most of you, but still).
However, not every horse would have had the acceleration to move through the rail that quick. Borel's patience and timing were amazing.

Still, if the 19 other idiot jockey's didn't see it coming last Saturday, you better believe they'll force Street Sense wide and circle horses in the Preakness.

With a horse that ducks around as much as he does, one would think blinkers might do a world of good.

I agree he has some bad habits. Ducking in, switching leads back and forth down the stretch will someday cost him a race. But with love for the rail it seems real possible that he may never have to go around horses.

the rail was gold saturday, watch the races and fractions all day and how middle closers did in general, either the entire card was a bunch of hangers or it was the rail.....street sense wins regardless, but hard spun was carried by the rail

Both horses raced on the inside pretty much throughout---but Hard Spun earned the right to have the rail position by setting strong fractions to get it.

Street Sense--a deep closer---only had his rail position and got to pass 16 horses without leaving it because of misjudgements by other riders (Zanjero mainly) and because of a fearless and historically great ride by Borel.

If Hard Spun was carried by the rail...so was Sedgefield....and to a much greater extent Street Sense---because unlike HS and Sedge, Street Sense got the favorable pace to go with the rail position.

Was the pace favorable to SS? THey went 1:11+ for 3/4 which is good for front runners. The early pace was fast, not brutally fast. Do you see this differently?

Also I thought SS passed 18 other runners?

he went around the final two he passed...and lugged back into the rail.

Yes, the pace was certainly more favorable to SS than HS---but, it's the Derby, and the pace is very often too fast. The nature of the race.

The pace was way fast enough to knock most of the horses out of the race in the stretch. It was a fearless run and ride. It's gonna take a lot of horse to beat SS the next two.

Tell me something...What pace do you think would have been favorable to front runners? 1:12? 1:13??

They hit the 3/4 in 1.11+ Isnt this ideal for front runners????????

They went 46 1/5 to the half. That is NOT favorable to frontrunners at a mile and a quarter.

The rest of the pace was beaten 37, 45, and 52 lengths. 'Nuff said.

A non sequiter. What does SS ride have to do with the pace?? The fact that the pace was moderate means that SS did quite well to win this coming from behind.

So yes, its gonna take a lot of horse to beat SS. And this is MAKING MY POINT!