12:19 PM Tue, Mar 20, 2007 | Permalink
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The Derby Prep season had its first defining moment in the often overlooked Tampa Bay Derby.
The long awaited return of Breeders' Cup champion Street Sense produced a thrilling stretch duel with Any Given Saturday. It was Street Sense by a short nose, thanks to jockey Calvin Borel, who shot through an opening on the rail and won a photo finish.
It was a big race at a little track. The overflow crowd was just over ten thousand, which would be a good crowd on a Wednesday afternoon at Churchill.
But the Tampa Bay Derby, which wasn't even a graded stakes until recently, has become a fashionable Derby Prep. It is all about timing.
With the move of the Florida Derby to late in March, Tampa Bay has become a nice interval for trainers pointing toward the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland. That's the goal for both Street Sense and Any Given Saturday.
Keeneland must be thrilled. These two Derby contenders combined to set a track record for a mile and a sixteenth at Tampa. The time was 1:43.11.
So, the early questions about Street Sense have been answered. He emerged after a winter of rest, still very much a contender for the Derby, and there is still time for Carl Nafzger to get some more conditioning in his horse. Nafzger thought his horse might have tired a little bit toward the end, so there is still work to be done on the road to May 5.
Once again, Street Sense is on the top of everybody's Derby list.
Next stop Lexington as the annual Derby puzzle has another big piece in place.
Hi,
Its Jo-an The Bartender at the Track. Love reading your comments. Keep up the good work.
Jo-an