Street Game, Banned top loaded Virginia Derby

Last updated: 7/13/11 5:51 PM

Eight days after the death of owner Carl Lizza, STREET GAME (Street Cry
[Ire]) will carry the colors of Lizza’s Flying Zee Stable’s in Saturday’s
$600,000
Virginia Derby (G2) at Colonial Downs. Street Game, who has won his last
three starts by a combined margin of 20 lengths, is one of 12 three-year-olds in
the 1 1/4-mile grass test.

Trained by Phil Serpe, the New York-bred Street Game has been virtually
invincible since donning blinkers in his fourth career start in a May 7 maiden
for state-breds. A 10 3/4-length winner on that occasion, Street Game next took
a state-bred allowance by two lengths, then stepped up in class and dominated
the June 18 Hill Prince S. (G3) by 7 1/4 lengths over a mile of Belmont Park’s
Widener turf.

Banned had little trouble taking the Jefferson Cup last time
(Churchill Downs/Reed Palmer Photography)

Ryan Curatolo, who has been aboard Street Game during his impressive win
streak, will be replaced Saturday by Edgar Prado, who took three consecutive
editions of the Virginia Derby from 2002-04.

BANNED (Kitten’s Joy), a son of 2004 Virginia Derby hero Kitten’s
Joy, enters at the top of his game after back-to-back wins in the
American Turf S. (G2) and Jefferson Cup (G3) at Churchill Downs. The two
victories were achieved by a combined margin of 6 1/2 lengths, a figure
that could have been higher given the relative ease at which he won. The
Tom Proctor charge counts only one stakes loss on his scorecard, a fifth
in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G2) where he made a premature move
and flattened out.

KING CONGIE (Badge of Silver) has crossed the wire first in all three
of his turf appearances. After winning the Tropical Park Derby on New
Year’s Day, he beat his rivals to the finish in the Hallandale Beach S.,
only to be demoted to third for stretch interference. A narrowly-beaten
third in the Blue Grass S. (G1) next out, he was a well-beaten seventh
in the Preakness S. (G1) last time.

Team Valor’s CRIMSON CHINA (Giant’s Causeway) is the highly-regarded
stablemate to the currently sidelined Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Animal
Kingdom (Leroidesanimaux [Brz]). After earning minor awards in the
Rushaway S. and Blue Grass on Polytrack, Crimson China returned to turf
for the May 28 Lamplighter S. at Monmouth Park, a race he dutifully won
by a length as a heavy 1-2 favorite. He has won both career starts on
turf.

Multiple Grade 3 winner AIR SUPPORT (Smart Strike) was well beaten behind
Street Game and Banned in his last two starts, but has the potential to rebound
if given a fast pace to chase. THIRTYFIRSTSTREET (Good Journey) enters off a
21-1 upset score in the Lone Star Derby in his turf debut, while Tampa Bay Derby
(G2) upsetter WATCH ME GO (West Acre) tries grass for the first time Saturday
while making his first outing since running 19th in the Kentucky Derby.

Longer shots in the field are the Grade 3-placed NEWSDAD (Arch) and BENERGY (Tapit);
allowance winners CALLINGAHARDTEN (Rock Hard Ten) and THE WACO KID (Mass Media);
and maiden winner CASINO HOST (Dynaformer), a sub-par fifth in the Hill Prince
last out.

The Florida Oaks was the second of three straight stakes wins for Dynamic Holiday this past winter
(Tom Cooley Photography)

DYNAMIC HOLIDAY (Harlan’s Holiday) makes her long-awaited return to
action in the $150,000

Virginia Oaks (G3) over nine furlongs on the turf. The Graham Motion
pupil suggested she was the best three-year-old grass filly in Florida
last winter with consecutive wins in the Tropical Park Oaks, Florida
Oaks and Herecomesthebride S. (G3). The latter, contested on March 13,
was her most recent outing.

Challenging that one are Grade 3 winner WYOMIA (Vindication), a
below-par trailer in the Black-Eyed Susan S. (G2) last time; Hilltop S.
winner and Regret S. (G3) runner-up EXCITED (Giant’s Causeway); the
Grade 3-placed MYSTICAL STAR (Ghostzapper); SUMMER SAVORY (Horse
Chestnut [SAf]), who is undefeated in two turf attempts; and the
regally-bred SMART STING (Smart Strike), a daughter of 2000 champion
turf mare Perfect Sting.

Three other grass stakes, worth $50,000 each, will also be contested
Saturday. These are the

Kitten’s Joy S. for older horses at 1 1/16 miles, the

Chenery S. for two-year-olds at 5 1/2 furlongs, and the

Tippett S. for two-year-old fillies at 5 1/2 furlongs.