Street Sense win in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at 15-1 was certainly a surprise but the way he did it was shocking. He sat far from the pacesetters who set a moderately fast pace before launching a monstrous rally up the rail around the home turn to charge ahead by four in mid-stretch. Even after gearing down, he was far ahead and his final time translated into a Beyer Figure of 108 and Thorograph figure of -2 – both truly outstanding for a 2yo. If these figures are to be believed, his Breeders’ Cup race was one of the fastest performances by a 2yo ever. His improvement of 20+ Beyer points is no less extraordinary (or enigmatic) which leads many skeptics to compare his freakish win with that of Bellamy Road’s Wood Memorial or Sinister Minister’s Bluegrass – one time aberrations perhaps aided by external forces (in this case a golden rail). No matter how one views the rail, his win was the most visually impressive race this year.

Street Sense pedigree indicates that he should improve next year and perhaps be the horse that ends the Juvenile-Derby curse. He is by first year sire Street Cry, the current top freshman sire thanks the BC Juvenile’s $1.08 million winner’s share. He has 32 runners in a foal crop of 80 and 15 winners including four stakes winners. His top runners have had their success on the grass - Selima winner Street Sounds (Lrl 8.5f turf), English Grade III winner Big Timer (7f turf), and Cup and Saucer runner up Seaside Links (WO 8.5f turf). Street Cry was stakes placed 2yo in the U.S. and wintered in Dubai where he finished second in the 2001 UAE Derby. As a 4yo he won the Dubai World Cup and the Stephen Foster Handicap (118 Beyer), and was runner up in the Whitney Handicap (119 Beyer). Street Cry's sire, Machiavellian, was the 1989 juvenile champion in France and is from a line of top flight mares (Coup de Folie-Raise the Standard-Natalma-Almahmoud) that produced Northern Dancer (Natalma) and Halo (Cosmah-Almahoud). Machiavellian was an excellent sire (2.15 AEI and 9% stakes winners) and his offspring were middle distance horses (awd 9.07f). Street Cry's dam Helen Street won the 1985 Irish Oaks and was 4th in the Washington D.C. International. Street Cry currently stands for $50,000 and could become the jewel of Darley's U.S. stallion operation at Jonabell.

Street Sense's female family traces back to importation of 9th dam Alburn. Her granddaughter Delmarie produced 1951 Derby winner Count Turf and Street Sense's 6th dam Star Student. Street Sense's 4th dam is 1975 July Cup winner Lianga (by Dancer's Image, the disqualified winner of the 1968 Derby). Lianga's daughter Long Legend (by Reviewer, sire of the ill-fated Ruffian) produced successful sire Mr. Greeley. Mr. Greeley's half-sister Majestic Legend (by His Majesty) was a durable stakes winning mare who won $200k racing 42 times. Her daughter Bedazzle was a 4 of 22 lifetime sprinter whose first foal was Street Sense.      

Street Sense is inbred to important mares Natalma (5x4) and Almahmoud (6x6x5).

In summary, Street Sense should relish the Derby distance but the question remains as to whether the BC was a fluke. Given that his four prior Beyers were 87-84-83-81, it is hard not to be skeptical. That being said horses thus far out of the BC have run back to their numbers (Thor's Echo, Premium Tap) and young horses often leap forward once they figure out what they are supposed to do and never look back. It is hard not to be optimistic about this horses chances for a big a 3yo season, but I will bet him with caution.    

Street Cry's progeny's past performances for upcoming races

Street Sense's pedigree