I don't know if I would say that Barbaro and Street Sense defied "conventional wisdom." They were doing things differently than other Derby winners to be sure, and that attracted some doubters, but I don't think very many serious horse players thought that they were coming into the Kentucky Derby without the proper foundation. They both had solid 2yo campaigns that left them more than prepared to be ready to go early in their 3yo years without a lot of "preps."
I would NOT be shocked if a lot of other horses won the Kentucky Derby in the future with resumes that look similar to Barbaro and Street Sense.
What Curlin did last year was remarkable, and I seriously doubt if that pattern becomes a trend in the same way that the path of the other two might. Also, while Curlin's 3rd place performance in the Derby last year was a heck of a race by him, it might be worth pointing out that he still didn't win the race. He sure looked a lot better in the Preakness after he too, had a more solid foundation.
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