Street Sense works exceptional five furlongs

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense blazed through a sensational workout Thursday morning at Churchill Downs when going five furlongs in 57.40 seconds under regular rider Calvin Borel.

With trainer Carl Nafzger away on a fishing vacation, assistant Ian Wilkes oversaw the work, which came over a dry track, but one that has not been playing particularly fast for morning works.

"This was our major work," said Wilkes. "We were looking for a good work. He's a fast horse, and they work fast. This horse is unbelievable, the way he can do things."

Street Sense is scheduled to leave Churchill on Saturday for Saratoga, where he probably will make his next start in the July 29 Jim Dandy Stakes. Nafzger also has left open the option of running in the Aug. 5 Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park but has said the Jim Dandy is the more likely spot.

Street Sense is unraced since finishing a close second to Curlin in the May 19 Preakness at Pimlico. With only a brief interruption in June, when Nafzger withheld the colt from the Belmont Stakes, the colt has trained steadily at Churchill. The Thursday work was his fourth since July 2.

Working prior to the mid-morning harrow break, and with Borel knuckling down but not using his whip, Street Sense proceeded through fractions of 12.20, 24.20, 35.60, and 47.40 seconds, meaning he went from the eighth pole to the wire in an astounding 10 seconds.

"He's working to the wire quicker than he started out," said Wilkes.

The official six-furlong gallop-out time was 1:09.80. Backside observers then caught the colt galloping out further in an unofficial 1:22-and-change for seven furlongs and 1:36-and-change for a mile.