BC Juvenile

Street Sense paved the way in the Juvenile (Debra Kral/Horsephotos.com)

James B. Tafel’s homebred STREET SENSE (Street Cry [Ire]) broke well when the gates opened on Saturday’s $1,832,000 million
Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1),
then was content to drop back next to last, before squeezing through on the rail to take the 1
1/16-mile event by an ever-widening 10 lengths. Sent off the 15-1 eighth choice
in the 14-horse field,
Street Sense rewarded his backers with payouts of $32.40, $12.60 and $8.

When the doors opened, 3-1 favorite Circular Quay (Thunder Gulch) was squeezed
back and wound up in last, with Street Sense not far ahead of him. In front, Stormello (Stormy Atlantic), Principle Secret (Sea of Secrets), Scat Daddy
(Johannesburg) and Pegasus Wind (Fusaichi Pegasus) battled it out through fractions of :23, :46 3/5 and 1:11 3/5. As the field entered
the final turn, Circular Quay catapulted into contention, swinging widest
of all, while Street Sense and jockey Calvin Borel continued their ground-saving
trip on the rail.

Entering the stretch, a wall of horses was standing between Street Sense and
clear sailing, but Borel never panicked. Keeping his horse going straight, the
veteran rider patiently waited for a hole that seemingly opened up on cue,
leaving the way clear for Street Sense to skim through. From there, the only question
left was who would be second as the winner extended his margin while completing
8 1/2 furlongs on the fast dirt in 1:42 2/5.

“I didn’t expect that kind of performance but I knew that he was a
freaky kind of horse, a really nice horse,” trainer Carl Nafzger said.
“We love to win at Churchill. We always have. He’s my (Kentucky) Derby
(G1) horse. I’d be a fool to say he wasn’t.”

Circular Quay managed to pass all others on the outside, but could not match
strides with the winner, settling for second while paying $5 and $3.20. Great Hunter (Aptitude)
also rallied from far back, returning $4.40 at 7-1 while 2 3/4 lengths clear of Scat Daddy.
The exotics were worth $181.20 (exacta), $996 (trifecta) and $3,915.80 (1-9-7-3
superfecta). Completing the order of finish were Stormello, C P West (Came Home), U D Ghetto
(Honour and Glory), King of the Roxy (Littleexpectations), Skip Code (Skip
Away), Teuflesberg (Johannesburg), Pegasus Wind, Malt Magic (Cherokee Run), Got
the Last Laugh (Distorted Humor) and Principle Secret, who was eased.