I have been watching video of the Derby and that is some win. In all my years of gambling and race watching the one infallible tip off is - the horse that runs past the horse that is kicking in the heads of the other horses is the real thing.
In the 133rd Derby Hard Spun does all the hard work, leads to the turn and then proceeds to draw away from the field. Street Sense gives him a huge start, runs him down and wins easily.
Last quarter leader to leader 25.13 so Street Sense has run 23 something.
I keep rewinding the youtube footage and marvelling at it.
Me, too. I don’t follow horse racing, and I don’t know much about Street Sense, but from what I saw yesterday, I’m thinking this might just be the kind of horse who could win the longer races.
I just looked to see how many TC winners there had been in my lifetime. (Turns out there were 3, all of which I am just old enough to remember!) The interesting thing to me, though, is that they seem to come in bunches. There was one in 1919, but after that there were 3 in the 30s, 4 in the 40s, and 3 in the 70s, and that’s it. I wonder if some mysterious forces are at work.
The Preakness is actually shorter, and this is the first time I can recall thinking a horse could win the Derby and the Belmont without the middle jewel.
If he wins the Preakness I think he is really a lock for the Triple Crown.
It was very nice to see all the jocks and ponies come up to congratulate him on his ride. It seems the rider is a good guy.
Of course, you are right that the Preakness is shorter…my bad. The Belmont is the one, as I recall, that is the longest, and horses that win the first two races often have a hard time winning it. This horse, as you point out, could be the exception.
More to the point, since Seattle Slew died five years ago this very day, there are no living Triple Crown winners left, something that had not happened since the very first TCW, Sir Barton in 1919. Even the long drought between Citation (1948) and Secretariat (1973) had Count Fleet (barely) surviving until December, 1973.
That was a beautiful race. Coming around that turn, he took out about 15 horses over the course of 8 strides. Just awesome.
Like one of the commentators said though, he was lucky no one came in on him. I’ve done a bit of bike racing (it is similar in a lot of way), and when you’re coming into the finish in a pack like that. . .so much depends on luck. Sometimes you’re flying and everything opens up in front of you, and sometimes two guys slide together right in your path, and that’s the end of your chances.
Not only did he have all that space on the rail, but when they came out of the turn, a nice little pathway opened up in between the front runners.
Great race, great run, but there were a lot of chances for things to snap shut on him. Any one of those things happen, and we’re not talking about him today.
Wow. I missed the Derby this year for the first time in ages (I was busy graduating law school this weekend), and just now watched the race on youtube. What an incredible comeback!
Revived to say, dammit, dammit, dammit. The drought continues.
Street Sense had a good run and when he passed Curlin at the quarter pole, I thought he had a lock – Hard Spun and Xchanger looked to be no problem. Then with what, a 1/16th to go, here comes Curlin. Borel glanced over his shoulder once and had to be thinking “Where th’ hell did he come from?” Street Sense didn’t run into a wall, as so often happens, Curlin just flat outran him in that last furlong.
I got a better price for my exacta box, but, gee whiz, I’d rather see the TC hope still alive. If the three of them (Street sense, Curlin, and Hard Spun) show up at the Belmont in three weeks, it’s gonna be a bumpy ride.
