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THOROUGHBRED BEAT APRIL 26, 2007 by James Scully Derby Fever -- It's still too early to pick a winner. With nine days left until the Kentucky Derby (G1), there are still workouts to analyze and the all-important post position draw on Wednesday. No need to jump the gun. The problem is, I'm starting to really like STREET SENSE (Street Sense [Ire]). Trainer Carl Nafzger will say the strangest things from time to time -- "I don't change the dimension of my horse," the Derby and Breeders' Cup Classic (G1)-winning conditioner noted on Tuesday. "My horse's dimension is where we have found he is the most effective and we leave him in that dimension." -- but there's a method to his madness. The juvenile champion is sitting on a big performance. Street Sense bounced back beautifully from a hard-fought second in the Blue Grass S. (G1), effortlessly completing five furlongs in a bullet :59 at Churchill Downs on Tuesday, and the dark bay colt will enter the Derby on the upswing, just like last fall when he captured the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) by a record 10 lengths. Commander -- MASTER COMMAND (A.P. Indy) has established himself as a major presence in the handicap division. An easy winner of the New Orleans H. (G2) and Mineshaft H. (G3) in his first two starts this year, the five-year-old horse shipped to Hawthorne for Saturday's National Jockey Club H. (G2) and made short work of Sweetnorthernsaint (Sweetsouthernsaint), who was making his first start at the Chicago oval since winning the Illinois Derby (G2) by 9 1/4 lengths. Master Command netted a 109 BRIS Speed rating for his 3 3/4-length decision, and Todd Pletcher will be able to pick and choose the best spots for his pupil all year. After Horse of the Year Invasor (Arg) (Candy Stripes), who is in a league of his own, there just isn't much depth in the division. American-based runners no longer have to worry about Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1) runner-up Premium Tap (Pleasant Tap), who has been exiled to the Middle East for the rest of his racing career. Master Command will likely keep compiling prizes. Unbeaten Diamond -- DIAMOND STRIPES (Notebook) returned from a six-month hiatus with a sharp two-length allowance/optional claiming score at Aqueduct last Thursday, earning a 101 BRIS Speed rating while leaving Grade 2 winner and Belmont S. (G1) third placer Sunriver (Saint Ballado) in his wake. Now four-for-four overall, the four-year-old is headed back to stakes company for Richard Dutrow. Diamond Stripes recorded a smart 1 1/2-length win when making his stakes debut in October's Pegasus S. (G3), his final sophomore appearance, and the up-and-coming colt helps fill a void in his barn. Dutrow has already lost two very promising horses to retirement this year -- Kentucky Derby hopeful Lawrence the Roman and the older horse Liquor Cabinet (Ire) -- but the conditioner has a lot to look forward to with Diamond Stripes American Turf -- Three-year-old turf runners don't receive much publicity at this time of the year, but the American Turf S. (G2) on the Kentucky Oaks (G1) undercard is shaping up to be a dandy. WHATSTHESCRIPT (Ire) (Royal Applause [GB]), who opened his U.S. racing career with victories in the Pinjara S. and Generous S. (G3) last fall, continued his turf domination on the West Coast when making his sophomore bow an impressive score in the March 16 Pasadena S. at Santa Anita. The Doug O'Neill trainee is preparing for the American Turf at Keeneland. MARCAVELLY (Johannesburg) exits a superb 3 1/2-length score in the Transylvania S. (G3) for Bill Mott, and multiple stakes victor TWILIGHT METEOR (Smart Strike) is a very promising turf performer for Todd Pletcher. Another possible American Turf entrant is MOUDEZ (Ire) (Xaar), who earned his first stakes victory in the April 19 Forerunner S. at Keeneland. Group 3-placed in England, the Mott charge notched a 110 BRIS Late Pace rating while improving his record to 5-3-0-1, and Moudez appears to have a bright future.
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