Dominant sprinter Street Warrior tries two turns in Minnesota Derby

Street Warrior has emerged as a 3-year-old of note during the Canterbury Park meet and on Saturday night the unbeaten runner will move to two turns for the first time in the $75,000 Minnesota Derby.

The race is at a mile and 70 yards and shares a card with the $75,000 Minnesota Oaks. The stakes are restricted to Minnesota-breds as part of the annual Made in Minnesota card.

Street Warrior has won his first two starts by a combined margin of 23 1/4 lengths. He debuted June 15 at Canterbury and splashed home in the slop by more than 14 lengths in a maiden special weight at six furlongs. Street Warrior then romped by nine lengths in an overnight handicap at the same distance July 13. In both performances, Street Warrior earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 84.

“He’s a gifted horse, and he just seems to win with ease,” trainer Joel Berndt said. “The jockey never really has to ask him, and he just kind of does it. And then when he’s in front, what’s really eye-catching is he shifts gears again, and it’s like, ‘Holy cow!’

“That’s the quality I see in him, when he takes off when he’s already in front by several lengths, just like there’s more in the tank.”

Berndt is hopeful Street Warrior will handle two turns Saturday.

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“It’s always challenging for a young horse to stretch out to two turns, and there’s a mental aspect to it as well,” he said. “But I breezed him in company a mile and he seemed to handle it real well. He gave us confidence to enter.”

Street Warrior will break from the outside post in a field of six. His regular rider, Eduardo Gallardo, will be aboard for breeder and owner Suzanne Stables.

Berndt has two other starters in the Minnesota Derby.

Victorious Vanda is proven at two turns. He won his maiden at the distance by more than five lengths in June.

“I worked him with Street Warrior, and he worked right with him,” Berndt said.

Frosty View won last year’s Northern Lights Futurity to lock up the title of Minnesota-bred champion male 2-year-old. He won an allowance at two turns last winter at Delta Downs.

“The reason the owners bought him was for the derby,” Berndt said.

Frosty View races for Charlene Gabler and Sampson Racing Stable.

Minnesota Oaks

Xtreme Diva will be making her two-turn debut in the Minnesota Oaks. She enters off a nine-length win in an overnight handicap last month at Canterbury. Prior to that start, she won the $150,000 Dixie Belle over open company at Oaklawn Park.

Xtreme Diva will break from post 5 in a field of five. Gallardo has the mount for trainer Mac Robertson.

Xtreme Diva is a daughter of Coal Front who races for Xtreme Racing Stable. Last year, she won the Northern Lights Debutante at Canterbury.

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