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Associated Press 17y

1 year after his Derby win, Barbaro's shadow lingers at the track

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- A mile into the Kentucky Derby, all the
other horses were motoring along in fourth gear when Street Sense
kicked it into fifth. Then he zeroed in on his last challenger,
Hard Spun, went wide, and burned up the final quarter-mile like a
dragster.

"After that," jockey Calvin Borel said, "it was just a matter
of how far he'd win."

Street Sense showed plenty of that Saturday by smartly picking
his way through traffic, roaring from next-to-last in a 20-horse
field to win by 2\ lengths. His final move was so powerful, it
looked as though he might knock rival Any Given Saturday into the
grandstand.

"Street Sense came blowing through there and it was like a big
old wave," jockey Garrett Gomez said. "He knocked my horse out
from under me and knocked him off his feet again.

"But that's the Kentucky Derby."

The dark bay colt was so commanding that he broke two Derby
jinxes and put a couple of guys in the winner's circle late in
their careers.

"I can't believe it. I can't believe it. This is the toughest
race in the world to win," trainer Carl Nafzger said.

While it was the 65-year-old Nafzger's second Derby win in three
tries, trainer Todd Pletcher, who had a record-tying five horses,
was skunked again. He is now 0-for-19 in the Derby. Hard Spun
finished second and Curlin, the 5-1 second choice, lost for the
first time in his four-race career

Imawildandcrazyguy was another half-length back in fourth and
Sedgefield was fifth. Circular Quay, coming off an eight-week
layoff, was sixth for Pletcher's best finish.

Tiago was seventh, followed by Any Given Saturday, Sam P. and
Nobiz Like Shobiz. Dominican was 11th, then came Zanjero, Great
Hunter, Liquidity and Bwana Bull. Storm in May, who is blind in his
right eye, was 16th, trailed by Teuflesberg, Scat Daddy, Stormello
and Cowtown Cat in last.

Nafzger, who is nearly retired, wasn't as emotional as he was in
1990, when Unbridled won for 92-year-old Frances Genter. Because of
her faltering eyesight, Nafzger called the race in her ear so she
could follow her colt to the finish line.

Then he gave her a big kiss when Unbridled crossed the finish
line.

This time, Nafzger's words to the 83-year-old Tafel were few and
to the point.

"Mr. Tafel, we're clear, we're clear. It's up to him now,"
Nafzger said.

Nafzger and Tafel were taking a second shot at the Derby
together. In 1999, Vicar finished 18th for the duo.

Nafzger works for just two owners now, having turned the
day-to-day grind of his Churchill Downs stable over to an
assistant. Besides Tafel, his other client is Genter's son-in-law.

Pletcher, meanwhile, had five less-than-happy owners to answer
to Saturday.

"I am disappointed that the horses didn't run better," he
said. "It isn't the end of the world if you don't win the Kentucky
Derby. I'm not going to go home tonight and cry. That's just not
the way."

Street Sense became the first Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner to
return in the spring and win on the first Saturday in May, snapping
an 0-for-23 skid. He did so on the same track where he won the
Juvenile by 10 lengths six months ago. He was also the first
2-year-old champion to win the Derby since Spectacular Bid in 1979,
and the first colt to win with two or fewer prep races since
Sunny's Halo in 1983.

Street Sense, sent off as the 9-2 favorite on his home track,
ran 1\ miles in 2:02.17 and paid $11.80, $6.40 and $4.60 as the
highest-priced winning favorite in Derby history. Smarty Jones paid
$10.20 to win in 2004.

Hard Spun returned $9.80 and $7, while Curlin was another 5}
lengths back in third and paid $5.60 to show.

Queen Elizabeth II and her husband, Prince Philip, were among
the 156,635 racing fans on hand, the third-largest crowd in the
Derby's 133 years. They watched from the fourth-floor clubhouse
balcony overlooking the finish line. With the sun finally emerging
before post time, they had a picturesque view of the famous Twin
Spires.

Asked what it was like to win in front of royalty, Borel said
jokingly, "It meant everything in the world."

Street Sense left from the same No. 7 post as Unbridled 17 years
ago.

Borel is the master of saving ground and demonstrated that skill
as Street Sense dropped back at the start and headed for the rail.
While Hard Spun shot to the lead, Street Sense tucked in 19th along
the fence.

Borel still had a snug hold on the reins as Street Sense turned
for home. A quarter of a mile from the finish, Borel finally moved
Street Sense to the outside and they accelerated away from the
pack. They quickly reeled in Hard Spun, catching him in the final
eighth of a mile as Borel sneaked a peek over his right shoulder
approaching the finish line.

Once they crossed it, Borel thrust his whip in the air in
celebration, getting his first Derby win in five tries.

"He'll do anything for you. He's very push-button," Borel
said, referring to the winning colt. "I really don't know how good
he is because he always gives me something when I ask."

At the finish, Nafzger wrapped his arm around Tafel, shook his
hand and pumped his left fist.

By the time the two made their way to the crowded winner's
circle, the white-haired Tafel was beaming.

"This is the aspiration of anybody and everybody in the horse
business. It's just overwhelming," said Tafel, retired from a
technical publishing company and living in Boynton Beach, Fla.

Street Sense has finished in the money in all eight of his
career races.

"This horse has never run a bad race," Nafzger said.

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