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Race 11

Saturday, October 27 • Monmouth Park • ESPN • 5:35 p.m. ET
$5,000,000 • 1 1/4 miles • 3yo and up

Post	Horse	ML	Owner	Trainer	Jockey	Breeder
1	Lawyer Ron	5-2	Hines Racing LLC	Todd Pletcher	Velazquez J R	James T. Hines
2	Street Sense	3-1	James Tafel	Carl Nafzger	Borel C H	James Tafel
3	Any Given Saturday	4-1	WinStar Farm, Padua Stables	Todd Pletcher	Gomez G K	Racehorse Management
4	Curlin	3-1	Stonestreet Stables, Padua Stables, George Bolton , Shirley Cunningham Jr.	Steve Asmussen	Albarado R J	Fares Farm Inc
5	George Washington	20-1	Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith	Aidan O'Brien	Kinane M J	Lael Stables
6	Awesome Gem	30-1	West Point Thoroughbreds, Patrice Arudel , Paul Blavin	Craig Dollase	Flores D R	Runnymede Farm Inc., Catesby Clay and Peter Callahan
7	Diamond Stripes	15-1	Four Roses Thoroughbreds	Richard Dutrow, Jr.	Velasquez C	Mr.& Mrs. Samuel H. Rogers
8	Hard Spun	8-1	Fox Hill Farms	Larry Jones	Pino M G	Michael Moran & Brushwood Stable
9	Tiago	12-1	Mr. and Mrs. Jerome S. Moss	John Shirreffs	Smith M E	J. S. Moss

ANY GIVEN SATURDAY
AWESOMEGEM
CURLIN
DIAMOND STRIPES
GEORGE WASHINGTON
HARD SPUN
LAWYER RON
STREET SENSE
TIAGO

ANY GIVEN SATURDAY (KY)
Breeder: Racehorse Management
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Owner: WinStar Farm & Padua Stables
Sire (Sire’s Sire, Dam): Distorted Humor (Forty Niner, Danzig's Beauty)
Dam (Dam’s Sire, Dam): Weekend in Indy (A.P. Indy, Whow)
Dosage Profile (Points) Index: 7-4-10-0-1 (22) 2.67
Age: 3

Aug. 5, Grade I Haskell Stakes, Monmouth Park, 1 1/8 Mile. Bet down to 9-5, Any Given Saturday beat Hard Spun (9-2) by 4 1/2 lengths, following his breakthrough win in the Grade II Dwyer with another resounding run. He was timed in 1:48.35.

The race unfolded like many thought it would, with Cable Boy grabbing the early lead and Hard Spun settling behind. Garrett Gomez placed Any Given Saturday on the rail heading into the first turn, and bided his time until upper stretch. Hard Spun made the first move to go by Cable Boy at the quarter-pole, but Any Given Saturday swung out three wide and cruised past Hard Spun as Cable Boy retreated. Curlin (4-5) sat back early and made a far-turn move to be on even terms with Any Given Saturday, but he didn't accelerate down the stretch--and, in fact, could not get past Hard Spun the final sixteenth of a mile, edged by a head for second.

A crucial point in the race came when Any Given Saturday swung out at the top of the lane. Curlin, not known as the best turn runner, drifted out a bit at that point, giving Any Given Saturday plenty of room to make his move before he quickened away from the field.

Fractions--:23.49, :47.11, 1:10.70 (AGS second by 1 1/2), 1:35.58 (AGS ahead by 1/2), 1:48.35

"The way he ran today, the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Monmouth is our goal.... This horse came out of the Derby with a pretty good foot bruise that surfaced two days after. He’s a very hard horse and never had any problems. He has very good feet, but he stepped on something and a few days later was lame.

“I was hoping he would get the jump on Hard Spun around the turn. He didn’t, but he was good enough to push his way through there."--Todd Pletcher

On AGS' previous problems in the paddock:
   
“We brought him in early because he benefits from being settled in a few days. We wanted him to see the paddock and all his surroundings. He was just super today. He was perfect in the paddock, so the schooling paid off today. Now that he’s raced over the track, and seen everything at Monmouth, it will help him on Breeders’ Cup Day.”--Todd Pletcher

“I knew he was a better horse than he showed in the Derby.  In that race we turned for home, and he just flattened out.  From that time, Todd got him back going in the right direction.  When I sat atop him in the Dwyer, he was a different horse.  He was the same today."--Garrett Gomez

Sept. 22, Grade II Brooklyn Handicap, Belmont Park, 1 1/8 Mile. The plan was simple: give Any Given Saturday a one-turn race at Belmont Park to set him up for a two turns in the Breeders' Cup at Monmouth Park. It worked in the summer when Any Given Saturday won Belmont's Dwyer, then Monmouth's Haskell.

Any Given Saturday put in an useful winning race, overtaking ambitious pacesetter Tasteyville in the lane and cruising on to a 2 1/2-length victory. What impressed both Pletcher and Gomez in the Brooklyn was that Any Given Saturday was able to overcome some early trouble, after he broke awkwardly, hit the gate, and was bumped after the start.

Tasteyville shook away from Any Given Saturday for the lead and opened up daylight to get a quarter in :23.69, four lengths best, and a too-fat half-mile in :46.12, six lengths on the lead. on the fast track. Meanwhile, Garrett Gomez concerned himself with keeping Any Given Saturday relaxed and comfortable.

Entering the turn, Gomez looked behind for competition, sized up the field, and took aim at the leader. There was no other challenge, and Any Given Saturday rolled by Tasteyville for the win in 1:48.31.

“Any time you are a big favorite, you just want everything to go smoothly. Garrett said that when he left the gate, there was contact between two or three horses, and that got him up on the bridle. Garrett got him back and settled him.

"We thought earlier in the year that he was one of the best three-year-olds. He got a foot bruise in the Kentucky Derby, but everything else has been perfect since. It was sort of a strange race. You don’t see those big gaps. He had to work a bit. All in all, we’re very pleased.”--Todd Pletcher

“We all got tangled. I hit the side of the gate, and my colt broke outward. It took us about four jumps to get off each other.... Once I got him settled back into a good rhythm, he run a good race. He did have to overcome some things and he did have to make up some ground. He’s proved he likes it down there, and hopefully, he’ll run the same kind of race (when he returns to Monmouth).”--Garrett Gomez

On Oct. 6, ANY GIVEN SATURDAY breezed four in :49.00 (18/38) at BEL.
On Oct. 21, ANY GIVEN SATURDAY breezed five in 1:02.00 (10/23) at BEL.

AWESOME GEM (KY)
Breeder: Runnymede Farm Inc, Catesby Clay & Peter Callahan
Trainer: Craig Dollase
Owner: West Point Thoroughbreds
Sire (Sire’s Sire, Dam): Awesome Again (Deputy Minister, Primal Force
Dam (Dam’s Sire, Dam): Piano (Pentelicus, Thwack)
Dosage Profile (Points) Index: 7-3-8-0-0 (18) 3.50
Age: 4

Aug. 19, Grade I Pacific Classic, Del Mar, 1 1/4 Mile. Awesome Gem (10-1) came from ninth of twelve to finish second, beaten a half-length by 23-1 shot Student Council. Form fell apart in this race, the dime super paying over $1,800. The top four finishers all went off at double-digit odds, and Student Council went in 2:07.29. Lava Man, the 6-5 favorite, finished a tired sixth.

Student Council was always prominent under jockey Richard Migliore. He overhauled Lava Man in upper stretch to take command and then went all out to repulse the late challenge of Awesome Gem. Hello Sunday (13-1) ran well to be third, four lengths behind the runner-up and 1 1/2 lengths in front of Arson Squad (11-1). Big Booster (8-1) edged a weary Lava Man for fifth. Sun Boat, one of only three single-digit runners in the betting, finished last of 12. 

"We're pleased with our efforts, and he came running on at the end. He showed that he belonged in this division. He's an up-and-comer."--Craig Dollase

"I had the best trip I could have had. And I thought I was going to catch him at the end. But he shifted out a little bit, and I had to go out, too."--David Flores

Sept. 29, Grade I Goodwood Stakes, Oak Tree at Santa Anita, 1 1/8 Mile. Awesome Gem (7-2) ran valiantly but could not quite reel in Tiago, who made it back-to-back victories with a strong stretch run. Tiago bested Awesome Gem by a nose, traveling 1 1/8 mile in 1:46.93 on Santa Anita's new Cushion Track.

Tiago, with Mike Smith aboard, was never far back, running on the inside down the backstretch in fourth position. He was swung out on the far turn, making a strong move against Awesome Gem, and emerged in the stretch as the leader after putting away Lewis Michael (2-1), then battled from the eighth pole in with Awesome Gem. The latter one tracked Tiago until the two hooked up in an exciting race to the finish line.

Big Booster (15-1) finished a length back in third after running at the rear of the pack for six furlongs.

“I had my eye on Tiago when he broke, and I just wanted to stay with him. I didn’t want him to go too easy in front of me. I just wanted to stay in his lap and then attack him when it was time. So when I attacked him at the three-eighths pole, he pushed me out because he’s such a big horse. I tried to keep him in, but he just pushed me out like nothing. He fought back. We just had bad luck in the last jump.”--David Flores

On Oct. 14, AWESOME GEM worked five in 1:00.00 (3/66) at HOL.
On Oct. 20, AWESOME GEM worked six in 1:12.80 (1/8) at HOL.

CURLIN (KY)
Breeder: Fares Farm, Inc.
Trainer: Steve Asmussen
Owner: Stonestreet Stables, Padua Stables, George Bolton & Midnight Cry Stables
Sire (Sire’s Sire, Dam): Smart Strike (Mr. Prospector, Classy 'n Smart)
Dam (Dam’s Sire, Dam): Sheriff's Deputy (Deputy Minister, Barbarika)
Dosage Profile (Points) Index: 9-3-8-0-0 (20) 4.00
Age: 3

Third in the Kentucky Derby, winner of the Preakness, and second in the Belmont Stakes.

Aug. 5, Grade I Haskell Stakes, Monmouth Park, 1 1/8 Mile. Curlin finished third at 4-5 odds. The race unfolded like many thought it would, with Cable Boy grabbing the early lead and Hard Spun settling behind. Curlin was sitting a few lengths back of the pace. Garrett Gomez placed Any Given Saturday on the rail heading into the first turn, and bided his time until the upper stretch. Hard Spun made the first move to go by Cable Boy at the quarter-pole, but Any Given Saturday swung out three wide and cruised past Hard Spun as Cable Boy retreated. Curlin made a far-turn move to be on even terms with Any Given Saturday, but he went a little wide leaving the turn and didn't accelerate down the stretch--and, in fact, could not get past Hard Spun in the final sixteenth of a mile.

AGS beat Hard Spun by 4 1/2 lengths. Curlin was a head behind Hard Spun.

A crucial point in the race came when Any Given Saturday swung out at the top of the lane. Curlin, not known as the best turn runner, drifted out a bit at that point, giving Any Given Saturday plenty of room to make his move before he quickened away from the field.

Fractions--:23.49, :47.11, 1:10.70 (AGS second by 1 1/2), 1:35.58 (AGS ahead by 1/2), 1:48.35

"He ran the worst race of his career and we’ll have to find out why.”--Steve Asmussen

“I had a perfect trip, and when we kicked for home he gave me some run.  He ran real hard and just couldn’t get past the leaders.  He felt good."--Robby Albarado

Sept. 30, Grade I Jockey Club Gold Cup, Belmont Park, 1 1/4 Mile. In a stretch run reminiscent of his victory in the Preakness, Curlin (2-1) ran down favored Lawyer Ron (3-5) in deep stretch to win. Robby Albarado handled Curlin with confidence. The large turns at Belmont set up this race for Curlin.

Lawyer Ron was rank, pressing 40-1 shot Brother Bobby for the early lead. It was a return to his behaviour as a 3-year-old, when he was sometimes hard to handle on race day as well as during morning training.

The remainder of the Gold Cup field finished well back of the top two finishers, with Political Force coming in third, beaten 4 1/2 lengths, followed six more lengths by Sun King. The raced was timed in 2:01.20.

“In the Haskell he was third to two outstanding horses.  It was a good race, but not a great race.  We’re going to have to deal with Any Given Saturday and Hard Spun again when we go into the Classic.

“The weather was extremely good today.  That was our one concern when we decided on one prep. We would have been at the mercy of whatever the weather decided to do today. Hopefully, it didn’t take too terribly much out of him and he’ll be sharp for the Classic.

"After the Belmont, I gave him a little time, but we stayed on with him right after the Haskell.

"We felt very good about how t his race unfolded. There was no pace in the race last time, and he was stuck down on the inside. Today, he ran extremely well.  Coming off the two months, he carried Robby a lot farther. When he came into the stretch, you saw him slap him with the stick down and he jumped right into the bridle."--Winning trainer Steve Asmussen

“I just let him gather himself up. I was confident the whole race. It looked like Lawyer Ron got a little rank down the backstretch, so I just sat behind him. Johnny made his move, and I just followed suit. Curlin loves being outside, so I was pretty confident during the stretch drive.

"He ran in all three Triple Crown races and could have been a little dull going into the Haskell. Steve’s done a great job campaigning him.”--Winning jockey Robby Albarado

On Oct. 9, CURLIN breezed four in :51.60 (48/55) at KEE.
On Oct. 15, CURLIN breezed five in 1:01.20 (18/32) at KEE.
On Oct. 22, CURLIN breezed four in :50.20 (24/32) at KEE.

DIAMOND STRIPES (FL)
Breeder: Mr. & Mrs. Samuel H. Rogers Jr.
Trainer: Richard E Dutrow, Jr.
Owner: Four Roses Thoroughbreds
Sire (Sire’s Sire, Dam): Notebook (Well Decorated, Mobcap)
Dam (Dam’s Sire, Dam): Romantic Summer (On to Glory, Summer Romance)
Dosage Profile (Points) Index: 2-5-6-0-3 (16) 1.67
Age: 4

July 28, Grade I Whitney Handicap, Saratoga, 1 1/8 Mile. Diamond Stripes was third at the finish, beaten 5 3/4 lengths by Lawyer Ron. He raced mid-pack in the field of 11 for a good while, then finished willingly.

Meanwhile, at 5-1 odds, Lawyer Ron set a new track record, breaking the old one (Left Bank, 1:47.04) by exactly 2/5 second, going in 1:46.64 and winning by 4 3/4 lengths over 29-1 shot Wanderin Boy, who led until upper stretch. Preliminary fractions were :23.86, :47.37, 1:10.28 and 1:34.35 (Lawyer Ron leading by a half at a mile).

“I don’t think my horse was happy with the track. He wasn’t running well over it. We made a move coming for home, but he was still struggling over the track. It was his class that carried him here.”--Edgar Prado

Sept. 1, Grade I Woodward Stakes, Saratoga, 1 1/8 Mile. Diamond Stripes finished third to Lawyer Ron for the second straight race, beaten 9 1/2 lengths. Sun King made a belated stretch move to be a well-beaten second, 8 1/4 lengths behind winner Lawyer Ron.

"The winner was just too good today. My horse ran a good race. Nobody was beating Lawyer Ron today.”--Richard Dutrow, Jr.

 “I won twice on him before. He’s the same horse compared to the other times I rode him. Nothing has changed . This horse is a grinder, and he grinded it out to finish third. At the five-sixteenths pole, Johnny (Velazquez on Lawyer Ron) moved his hands, and his horse took off.”--Mike Luzzi

Oct. 5, Grade II Meadowlands Cup, Meadowlands, 1 1/8 Mile. Diamond Stripes moved one step closer to a Breeders’ Cup bid when he rallied between rivals to win. Cornelio Velasquez settled Diamond Stripes, the even-money favorite, in sixth position of seven runners along the rail while his stablemate, Mr. Umphrey, opened up a four-length lead down the backstretch, going a half mile in :46.20. Entering the far turn, Diamond Stripes and Magna Graduate (4-1) each began to mount a challenge, and the race was on.

Velasquez found an opening leaving the turn and fanned out wide entering the stretch, carrying Magna Graduate out. Diamond Stripes dug in gamely to edge away from Magna Graduate for a half-length victory. Xchanger closed on the leaders, only to be nosed out for third. Final time for the Meadowlands Cup was 1:48.36.

Trainer Dutrow said he might point to the Breeders' Cup Classic, and that the inaugural Dirt Mile was also an option.

“As soon as a hole opened up, Cornelio took it.  He was biding his time and trying to look for a hole. When he made that move, I knew that we were in good shape, and that it was just a question of whether our horse showed up.  

“I’m not sure that he is 1 1/4-mile horse, but some of the tougher horses may not like Monmouth as much, and we trained there all summer. I might go for the (Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile) the day before. I’m not dreaming of the Classic; however, you never know.  If you run third or fourth..., that’s big money also.”--Richard Dutrow, Jr.

“He was game and fought hard all the way to the wire. Once he made the lead, he kind of waited on other horses, but he was able to dig in all the way to the end.”--Cornelio Velasquez

On Oct. 22, DIAMOND STRIPES breezed five in :59.20 (1/7) at AQU.

GEORGE WASHINGTON (IRE)
Breeder: Lael Stables
Trainer: Aidan O'Brien
Owner: Mrs John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith
Sire (Sire’s Sire, Dam): Danehill (Danzig, Razyana)
Dam (Dam’s Sire, Dam): Bordighera (Alysheba, Blue Tip (FR))
Dosage Profile (Points) Index: 4-4-19-0-1 (28) 1.67
Age: 4

In last year's Breeders' Cup, George Washington ran in the Classic, finishing sixth at 9-1 odds.

Before the 2007 Prix du Moulin, GW was winless in three starts this year. His last victory had come in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot on Sept. 2006.

Sept. 9, Group 1 Qatar Prix du Moulin, Longchamp, One Mile (T). Known for pre-race antics, GW did not act out this day. However, after the gate opened, he found himself well behind. Given the bias this race and course produces for forward runners, and the fact he was seventh of nine two furlongs out, British Racing Post said "he performed wonders" to finish third, beaten three lengths. He made up four or five lengths in the late running. Jockey Kieren Fallon blamed George Washington’s loss on drawing starting post seven.

The filly Darjina (9-2) upset Ramonti (9-4) and George Washington (3-2) in this important race. In her first try against males, Darjina was able to hold off dual Group 1 winner Ramonti by two lengths.

Darjina's time was 1:36.80 on good ground.

HARD SPUN (PA)
Breeder: Michael Moran & Brushwood Stable
Trainer: J. Larry Jones
Owner: Fox Hill Farm
Sire (Sire’s Sire, Dam): Danzig (Northern Dancer, Pas de Nom)
Dam (Dam’s Sire, Dam): Turkish Tryst (Turkoman, Darbyvail)
Dosage Profile (Points) Index: 9-11-24-0-0 (44) 2.67
Age: 3

Aug. 5, Grade I Haskell Stakes, Monmouth Park, 1 1/8 Mile. At 9-2 odds off a 5-2 morning line, Hard Spun was second, 4 1/2 lengths behind Any Given Saturday (9-5) and a head before Curlin (4-5). The race unfolded like many thought it would, with Cable Boy grabbing the early lead and Hard Spun settling behind. Curlin was sitting a few lengths back of the pace. Garrett Gomez placed Any Given Saturday on the rail heading into the first turn, and bided his time until upper stretch. Hard Spun made the first move to go by Cable Boy at the quarter-pole, but Any Given Saturday swung out three wide and cruised past Hard Spun as Cable Boy retreated.

Fractions--:23.49, :47.11, 1:10.70 (AGS second by 1 1/2), 1:35.58 (AGS ahead by 1/2), 1:48.35

“He ran good and the race set up perfectly for him.... The ultimate goal is the Breeders’ Cup Classic here. He’ll have a few races before that.”--J. Larry Jones

"I just let my horse cruise out of the gate and he put me in a great spot.  He hit the lead just in time for his liking and he tried real hard till the end.  He could have given up be he kept pushing his head for second.”--Mario Pino

Aug. 25, Grade I King's Bishop Stakes, Saratoga, Seven Furlongs. Locked into a stretch duel with First Defence, who actually grabbed the lead at one point, Hard Spun came back to win. Spin Master set the pace, scorching the first quarter of a mile in :21.44 and the half in :44.20. Hard Spun took position just behind, and First Defence targeted Hard Spun. Coming off the turn, First Defence engaged Hard Spun, who was on the inside. Hard Spun kicked away at the sixteenth pole and went on to win in 1:22:34 on the fast main track. First Defence was beaten 1 1/2 lengths. E Z Warrior, who hit the side of the gate at the start, was another 4 1/4 lengths back in third. Teuflesberg raced well back and came on to get fourth, beaten 6 1/4 lengths for it all.

“This is a very important race for making stallions, and that was one reason we looked at it. He has shown up at every dance and run well. He keeps his undefeated record going around one turn. I was worried about the pace, but he was keeping up with it very easy. I’ve seen him run these fractions before, when he was a younger horse and not nearly as strong as he is now, so I felt pretty good about that.

We’re still looking for the Breeders’ Cup Classic. We decided to go into it gaining distance. We know he can get a mile and a quarter. We’ll look for a mile or a mile and an eighth race between now and the Classic.”--J. Larry Jones

“He got to loafing when he made the lead, and I started to worry. As soon as he felt First Defence next to him, he switched leads and his class came out. That horse made a quick run at him, and it took him a little bit to get going turning for home, but once he leveled off, he went to the wire with his ears up. It’s 95 degrees, and he didn’t even take a deep breath. He wasn’t laboring, he was just looking for competition.”--Mario Pino

Sept. 29, Grade II Kentucky Cup Classic, Turfway Park, 1 1/8 Mile. The match race that was billed as the Grade II Kentucky Cup Classic materialized, and it delivered all that was promised. Hard Spun, who was sent off at 4-5 odds along with his chief rival, turned the tables on Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense to win the race by a length and a quarter.

Hard Spun was sent to the lead, but instead of churning out fast fractions, he went a quarter mile in :24.45 and a half in :48.18. Street Sense closely tracked him, but the moderate pace left Hard Spun with enough gas in the tank to stay on, going six furlongs in 1:11.46, a mile in 1:35.72, and hitting the finish line in 1:48.48 for the 1 1/8 mile.

Stream Cat, the third betting choice at 6-1 in the four-horse field--Muqbil was scratched--finished third, rounding out a one dollar trifecta that paid a miserly $3.40.The two-dollar exacta returned $5.60.

The win by Hard Spun was his second in as many starts at Turfway Park. He won the Grade II Lane's End there back in March in his final prep for the Kentucky Derby where he finished second.

“He heard about this match race and was ready to get it on. This was a very good prep. He ran so well off of Polytrack last time, so this should set him up perfectly. I think our horse contained himself as long as could. He was ready to go. We knew that with the pace scenario, we wanted to make Street Sense chase us.”

“We knew that Monmouth is a speed favoring track, so we thought the King’s Bishop was a good spot, and this race also fit well. He liked the seven furlongs, and all we had to do was back off him a little bit and sharpen him up.”

“I think we’re definitely looking at the Classic. I was waiting...to see what Mr. Porter would say and I was happy to hear the Classic.”--J. Larry Jones, trainer of Hard Spun

“Going in we knew it was going to be a match race because it was only a two horse race on paper. I got him to relax and I felt him crawling along early. At the 3/8ths pole he dropped his head down, going faster and faster to the wire.”--Mario Pino

On Oct. 15, HARD SPUN breezed five in 1:00.40 (1/5) at DEL.
On Oct. 22, HARD SPUN breezed five in 1:00.20 (2/13) at DEL.

LAWYER RON (KY)
Breeder: James T. Hines, Jr.
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Owner: Estate of James T. Hines, Jr.
Sire (Sire’s Sire, Dam): Langfuhr (Danzig, Sweet Briar Too)
Dam (Dam’s Sire, Dam): Donation (Lord Avie, Reddy Change)
Dosage Profile (Points) Index: 4-7-7-0-0 (18) 4.14
Age: 4

At 20-1 odds, Lawyer ron finished ninth in last year's Classic.

July 28, Grade I Whitney Handicap, Saratoga, 1 1/8 Mile. At 5-1 odds, Lawyer Ron set a new track record, breaking the old one (Left Bank, 1:47.04) by exactly 2/5 second, going in 1:46.64. He won by 4 3/4 lengths over 29-1 shot Wanderin Boy, who led until upper stretch. Diamond Stripes was another length back in third. Preliminary fractions were :23.86, :47.37, 1:10.28 and 1:34.35 (Lawyer Ron leading by a half at a mile).

From post 11, Lawyer Ron, secured third after the break, three-wide around the first turn. From there, he stalked the pace until taking over.

"He was unlucky in the Met Mile and drew the 1-hole going a mile. He was stuck down inside and had to make a wide move on a track that may not have been to his liking. At Monmouth last time, the track was just so crazy speed-biased, he ran a great race (to finish second)."--Todd Pletcher

"The post position didn’t really hurt him. I knew he was fast enough to overcome it. It was just perfect after they hit the first turn. He was comfortable. As soon as I got after him at the quarter-pole, he switched leads. I was surprised that no one was closing, but I wasn’t going to wait."--John Velazquez

Sept. 1, Grade I Woodward Stakes, Saratoga, 1 1/8 Mile. Lawyer Ron moved up to division leader with a decisive win in this race, which, at first blush, appeared to sport a stronger field than did the Whitney. After attending a pace of :23.31 and :46.62 set by Wanderin Boy, Lawyer Ron led into six furlongs in 1:10.45, a mile in 1:35.62, and the finish line in 1:48.60. Sun King made a belated stretch move to be a well-beaten second, 8 1/4 lengths behind the winner. Diamond Stripes again finished third to Lawyer Ron.

All carried 126 pounds.That was eight more pounds than Lawyer Ron toted in the Whitney.

“Earlier, the track didn’t seem like it was that fast. You have to consider, too, that he was carrying 126 pounds today. He was picking up a lot of weight on a track that wasn’t as fast as on Whitney day. I thought he was every bit as good today as he was the other day. He took the race to everybody early on, and we worked our way out of the 1-post, which we were concerned about.

"I think he has established himself as the top older horse in training. Now, we have to see how he matches up against some of the three-year-olds. The Whitney was arguably the strongest race anyone has run this year, and it was another big effort today.”--Todd Pletcher

“I just wanted to make sure that we ran into that first turn. I saw Wanderin Boy wanted to take the lead, and I let him go. I got my horse to the outside, and then he was going well. I just wanted him to settle more on the outside; he was probably closer to the lead than I wanted him, but he was going so easily. After that, he was just cruising.”--John Velazquez

Sept. 30, Grade I Jockey Club Gold Cup, Belmont Park, 1 1/4 Mile. Lawyer Ron was rank, pressing 40-1 shot Brother Bobby for the early lead. It was a return to his behaviour as a 3-year-old, when he was sometimes hard to handle on race day as well as during morning training.

In a stretch run reminiscent of his victory in the Preakness, Curlin (2-1) ran down favored Lawyer Ron (3-5) in deep stretch to win. Robby Albarado handled Curlin with confidence. The large turns at Belmont set up this race for Curlin.

The remainder of the Gold Cup field finished well back of the top two finishers, with Political Force coming in third, beaten 4 1/2 lengths, followed six more lengths by Sun King. The raced was timed in 2:01.20.

“I thought he ran great. The only thing we were concerned about happened: he never quite settled like he did in Saratoga. He was very sharp and he never gave up. He ran a big race and actually galloped out in front. I don’t think the mile and a quarter is an issue, we just have to get him to settle down.I think we learned something today. I think there is room for improvement. Hopefully, 27 days from now, he’ll run just a little bit better than he ran today.

“I think if Any Given Saturday, Curlin, Hard Spun and Street Sense all go to the Breeders’ Cup, there is a chance for them to prove who is the best three-year-old. Hopefully, Lawyer Ron will be there to say something as well.”--Todd Pletcher

“He never got to relax today. He was so much on the bridle today for a mile and a quarter. When I gave him his head, he responded, but he expended way too much energy for a mile and a quarter race.”--John Velazquez

On Oct. 14, LAWYER RON breezed five in 1:00.40 (4/36) at BEL.
On Oct. 21, LAWYER RON breezed five in 1:01.20 (5/23) at BEL.

STREET SENSE (KY)
Breeder: James Tafel
Trainer: Carl Nafzger
Owner: James B. Tafel, LLC
Sire (Sire’s Sire, Dam): Street Cry (Machiavellian, Helen Street)
Dam (Dam’s Sire, Dam): Bedazzle (Dixieland Band, Majestic Legend)
Dosage Profile (Points) Index: 8-1-12-0-1 (22) 2.14
Age: 3

He won the Kentucky Derby, was second in the Preakness, and skipped the Belmont Stakes.

July 8, Workout, Churchill Downs. Calvin Borel was up as Street Sense breezed five furlongs in 1:00.40.  The move was a strong one as Borel was motionless in the irons coming down the stretch, and Street Sense covered the final furlong in :22.60. Churchill Downs’ clockers recorded the Kentucky Derby winner in fractions of :13, :25.40, :37.60 and :49.40, and he galloped out six furlongs in 1:12.60.

“Every time I watch him, he surprises me. I keep thinking I’m dreaming in between, then I watch him work and he does it again.”--Carl Nafzger

July 18, Workout, Churchill Downs. Street Sense had observers comparing stopwatches as he breezed five furlongs under Borel in :57.40. The track yielded no other spectacular workout times during four hours of training, and several horsemen described the surface as being deeper than usual.

“He’s happy right now. He’s had a little freshening.  He’s put on about 50 pounds, and he’s wanting to do it now.  I never moved on him this morning.  He kind of worked like he did going to the Breeders’ Cup."--Calvin Borel

More workouts ensued.

July 29, Grade I Jim Dandy Stakes, Saratoga, 1 1/8 Mile. Although not primed for a top effort, Street Sense easily whipped five rivals. Borel held him on the rail, not as far back as usual. Coming out of the far turn, Borel slung Street Sense out, and he ran off from the rest, best by 1 1/2 and timed in 1:48.99. C P West, who closely attended the pace set by Flashstorm, then led until Street Sense made his move, was second. Sightseeing was back to two turns and tracked Street Sense to finish third, three quarters behind C P West.

“One down, three to go. We learned a lot from this trip. We laid a little bit closer today. That was our plan. They got him in a trap and kept him there, but he got out, and he responded. You don’t know how much that can take out of your horse. Once he got out, he came on with his run. It was a good, solid prep to get him ready for the Travers. You should see a horse with more timing, more rhythm and more fitness than he had today. He has a race over the track now; that should be an advantage.”--Carl Nafzger

“He needed this race. It’s really going to move him forward. He leveled off beautifully. He got beat last time in a great horse race. I can’t take anything away from Curlin, but my colt is coming back better and stronger than he was in the spring. He finished great and I still had some horse. Horses like him come once in a lifetime.”--Calvin Borel

NOTE: Street Sense was back on the track the following morning for a light jog.

Aug. 25, Grade I Travers Stakes, Saratoga, 1 1/4 Mile. In 95-degree heat, Calvin Borel placed Street Sense (1-5) in a forward position, kept him clear of horses and then attacked front-runner Grasshopper (9-1 third choice) in the stretch. Grasshopper outran C P West early, established position and set a smart pace of :23.68, :48.18, 1:12.43 and 1:36.93. He didn't back off. The twp colts fought it out to the sixteenth pole, when Borel kept at Street Sense with a right-hand before switching to his left. Street Sense surged and got the half-length victory in 2:02.69.

Very longshot Helsinki finished 10 1/4 lengths behind Grasshopper and necked Sightseeing (9-2 second choice) for the show. C P West, Loose Leaf and For You Reppo trailed.

"He actually took control at the sixteenth-pole. Calvin had him where we were, but the pace was kind of slow. I never worry about where Calvin's going to have him.  That's one of Calvin's fortes -- how to read a pace.

"He was really stressed after the race. That's why we got him out of the winners' circle real quick and got him to the water hoses. He was starting to get an effect of the heat. He walked off good.

"He nearly always will finish the job if he gets hooked up like in Tampa Bay (beating Any Given Saturday by a nose).  When he's hooked up eyeball-to-eyeball, he goes on.  Once he gets a length on the lead, that's when he pricks his ears forward.  Grasshopper just said, 'I ain't going to give you any time to prick your ears forward.'  Grasshopper ran a great race.

"There are about four options. The Mass Cap, a race at Hawthorne, you got the Jockey Club at Belmont and the Turfway Park race.  We’ll look at all of them, but let's enjoy this one.  The Classic will be where we'll try to go. He'll go back to Kentucky and get freshened up and ready for his next out.  If he doesn't come out of this right, he could go straight to the Breeders’ Cup, like we did with Unbridled."--Carl Nafzger

"We ran away from the other horses pretty quick.  I can't take anything away from (Grasshopper) because he's a nice colt. I've been on him, and I told my fiancée that he could develop to be a nice horse.  When I hooked him up, I thought I had him measured pretty good and in the last 40 yards when my colt got by him, he went to messing around.  I hit him a couple times left-handed, and then he kind of put it away.

"I know how Street Sense is. Once he gets in front, he kind of gives up a little bit.  I let him mess around for 40 or 50 yards, and then I hit him left-handed quick and he pulled away by a half-length.  He's a colt that likes to be on the fence, and when he's not on the fence, he doesn't feel that sure of himself.  The track here is so narrow and the crowd--I don-t know why, but he just gets to switching leads and messing around.  He does what I want him to do. So as long as he keeps doing that, I ain't worried.

"When Curlin beat me, I didn’t have anything to run at.  I was riding him, but I was trying to give him a target at all times.  If I would have hit him left-handed earlier, he would have gotten away from the other horse a lot farther, but I just wanted to see what he would do.

"I purposely kept him out there.  There were only seven horses in the race.  There's a big difference when they got 12, 15 or 20 horses, because I can take him back and save ground and do whatever I have to do.  With only seven horses, you have to ride the race because there are so many things that could happen.
 
"I told my fiancée that the colt of Neil's (Grasshopper) was going to run a big race. I had him measured all the time. My colt started messing around a little bit, but he did what he had to do."--Calvin Borel

Sept. 29, Grade II Kentucky Cup Classic, Turfway Park, 1 1/8 Mile. Street Sense lost this match race that was billed as the Grade II Kentucky Cup Classic. Hard Spun, who was sent off at 4-5 odds along with his chief rival, turned the tables on Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense to win the race by a length and a quarter.

Hard Spun was sent to the lead, but instead of churning out fast fractions, he went a quarter mile in :24.45 and a half in :48.18. Street Sense closely tracked him, but the moderate pace left Hard Spun with enough gas in the tank to stay on, going six furlongs in 1:11.46, a mile in 1:35.72, and hitting the finish line in 1:48.48 for the 1 1/8 mile. Street Sense was defeated by 1 1/4 length.

Stream Cat, the third betting choice at 6-1 in the four-horse field--Muqbil was scratched--finished third, rounding out a one dollar trifecta that paid a miserly $3.40.The two-dollar exacta returned $5.60.

Street Sense prepped for his Derby win in the Grade I Blue Grass, losing by a nose on polytrack at Keeneland.

“We were right there, and we got beat. We came up here to win the race. Let’s not make excuses. We ran a good race. We’re ready to go on. It was up to him at the head of the lane to get by Hard Spun. I thought he could do it. But, it was hard to get by anyone all day. He just outran us. I just think Larry’s horse ran a better race than we did, and I mean it. There’s a lot of excuses when you lose, but let’s put it this way. When you get beat, you get beat.”--Carl Nafzger

“You can’t go that slow and catch a horse like that. Don’t worry, my horse will show up in four weeks. He always struggles a bit on Polytrack, but that sets him up perfectly. I ain’t worried about it. In four weeks, he’ll be a different horse.”--Calvin Borel

On Oct. 9, STREET SENSE breezed four in :48.40 (7/38) at CD.
On Oct. 15, STREET SENSE breezed five in 1:00.80 (2/30) at CD.
On Oct. 23, STREET SENSE breezed five in 1:01.20 (5/13) at MTH.

TIAGO (KY)
Breeder: Mr. & Mrs. Jerome S. Moss
Trainer: John Shirreffs
Owner: Mr. & Mrs. Jerome S. Moss
Sire (Sire’s Sire, Dam): Pleasant Tap (Pleasant Colony, Never Knock)
Dam (Dam’s Sire, Dam): Set Them Free (Stop the Music, Valseuse)
Dosage Profile (Points) Index: 3-12-12-2-3 (32) 1.91
Age: 3

Tiago didn't place very well in the Kentucky Derby after a tough trip. He finished third in the Belmont Stakes after hitting the gate at the start.

July 14, Grade II Swaps, Hollywood Park, 1 1/8 Mile. At even-money odds, Tiago was impressive winning this race by 2 1/2 lengths, timed in 1:48.76. He sat fifth of six behind fractions of :23.63, :46.98 and 1:10.65 before launching a strong bid inside at the top of the lane. He got through a small opening a sixteenth out.

"A horse like this absolutely loves the fence. He'll run through anything, so I wasn't worried. All he needed was a little room to get his head through and he just goes. He's really getting good."--Mike Smith

"The outcome was everything we hoped for. He's a kind horse who rates well, and when Mike needs to call on him, he responds."--John Shirreffs

Aug. 19, Grade I Pacific Classic, Del Mar, 1 1/4 Mile. Tiago was scratched by trainer Shirreffs after he decided that he didn't want the colt running over Del Mar's polytrack in its then-current condition. Steve Haskin of Bloodhorse.com got the story from Shirreffs.

“After watching my colt, Gentle Romeo, run on Wednesday, I decided I didn’t want to subject a 3-year-old to this kind of track. They went a mile and a sixteenth in 1:48 2/5.... He came back so tired after running up the track we thought he had tied up. But he was just muscle sore from struggling over that track. The mornings are fine, but later on, the temperature plays havoc with the track.

“I don’t mind if the track is slow, but the races aren’t evenly paced. I know he comes from off the pace, which would work to his advantage, but there are too many unknown factors to take a chance with a 3-year-old. They did everything with the best of intentions, but it hasn’t played out too well...so we’ll look for something else.”

The mile and a quarter Pacific Classic was run in 2:07.29.

Sept. 29, Grade I Goodwood Stakes, Oak Tree at Santa Anita, 1 1/8 Mile. Tiago made it back-to-back victories with a strong stretch run to barely hold off Awesome Gem (7-2). Sent off at 2-1 favoritism, Tiago won by a nose, traveling 1 1/8 mile in 1:46.93 on Santa Anita's new Cushion Track.

Tiago, with Mike Smith aboard, was never far back, running on the inside down the backstretch in fourth position. He was swung out on the far turn, making a strong move against Awesome Gem, and emerged in the stretch as the leader after putting away Lewis Michael (2-1), then battled from the eighth pole in with Awesome Gem. The latter one tracked Tiago until the two hooked up in an exciting race to the finish line.

Big Booster (15-1) finished a length back in third after running at the rear of the pack for six furlongs.

“He’s got a lot of heart. He’s a Thoroughbred, and he’ll give it everything he’s got, and he did. Win and you’re in.”--John Shirreffs, trainer of Tiago

“You ain't seen him get good yet!  Wait ‘till he gets good! He had to win ‘dirty’ today. We had to push our way out going to the 3/8’s pole. He just had to make his own room, because I didn’t want Awesome Gem to get the jump on us. It slowed him down, but I just felt that we had to move at that time. Wow, he ran great.”--Mike Smith, rider of Tiago

On Oct. 12, TIAGO worked seven in 1:25.60 (1/1) at HOL.
On Oct. 19, TIAGO worked seven in 1:25.00 (1/2) at HOL.