Final Work for Favorite

- There was some talk after the Derby about how the three top finishers all had workouts over the Churchill track, as opposed to some of the laggards who prepped at Keeneland; but none of the connections of the three seem to be concerned about having one over the Pimlico oval before Saturday's Preakness. Street Sense wrapped up his preparation with a five furlong work at Churchill. through fractions of 12.60, 25, 37, 48.60, and 1:00, with a six-furlong gallop-out time of 1:12.60. Street Sense worked through fractions of 12.60, 25, 37, 48.60, and 1:00, with a six-furlong gallop-out time of 1:12.60. [DRF] Though Nafzger said he was looking for 1:02, he was not displeased (and did you expect that he'd say anything different?)

“He worked a lot faster than we thought, but he did it the right way and it didn’t hurt him....The horse did it without any effort. He wasn’t charging the bit. He wasn’t trying to work….he looked very happy coming off the track. I don’t think he even took a deep breath. He did it easy. He didn’t come unraveled. He didn’t stress.” [Bloodhorse]

Nafzger also said that King of the Roxy is a “monster.” He's certainly a nice horse, but even the Toddster concedes that he's questionable at the distance. "He looked like he was going to win the Santa Anita Derby, but in the last 50 yards he got rubber-legged." And Barry Irwin sounds content to run for second place money: "I can't see us beating Street Sense."

"The other ones, I can come up with a scenario where they react to their last race. If Hard Spun runs a huge race again on a harder surface, I'd be surprised. Curlin, I love him, but he's had a bunch of hard races.

"Right now, I'd settle for second. Street Sense is the man." [NY Post]