Horse Racing Contenders - Street Sense

» Trainer: Carl Nafzger
» Jockey: Calvin Borel
» Owner: James B. Tafel LLC
» Breeder: James B. Tafel (KY)

STREET SENSE hails from the Irish-bred Street Cry, Timeform's highest rated horse in the world in 2002. That 4-year-old season saw him win the Dubai World Cup (GI), the Stephen Foster Handicap (GI) and finish second in the Whitney Handicap (GI).

He actually began his career in California, winning the Norfolk (GII) before finishing third in the 2000 Breeders' Cup Juvenile (GI) at Churchill Downs. Retired after his 4-year-old season, the Goldophin bred earned over $5.1 million for his owner/breeder. The son of Machiavellian stands at Jonabell for Darley America. Street Cry is very well bred himself. His sire was a European champion 2-year-old and his dam, Helen Street, was champion Irish 3-year-old. Through his dam, Street Cry is closely related to multiple Group One winner Shamardal. Though he is a grandson of Mr. Prospector, the presence of classic distance influences Halo and Riverman in his fourth generation give him a nice balance of speed and stamina. With his first crop hitting the track in 2006, Street Sense made Street Cry the leading first-crop sire for the year. In addition, he had three other stakes winners in 2006, led by English Group Three winner Big Timer.

The homebred Street Sense is out of Tafel's mare Bedazzle, also trained by Nafzger. Primarily a sprinter, Bedazzle scored three of her four wins at Churchill Downs, bankrolling nearly $200K in her 22 career starts. Retired at the end of 2002, Street Sense is her first foal. She is a half-sister to another Nafzger trainee in Binalegend, himself a stakes winner at age five. Street Sense's tail female line is populated with sprinter types, which is curious with presence of distance influences Reviewer and His Majesty as well.

Cowtown Cat is inbred 4x4 to 1964 Derby winner Northern Dancer, and indeed, his first four generations have more sires than lean towards the speed side than that of stamina (Secretariat and Tom Rolfe, both in the fourth generation, notwithstanding). Dosage Index: 2.70 - by Mark Hoard.