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THOROUGHBRED BEAT AUGUST 2, 2007 by James Scully Travers excitement and distress -- The Kentucky Derby (G1) winner is back. And he looked good. STREET SENSE (Street Cry [Ire]) powered his way out of a tight spot along the rail leaving the far turn and bullied past the leader in midstretch of Sunday's Jim Dandy S. (G2), giving C P WEST (Came Home) a good bump before easily drawing clear to a 1 1/2-length decision. It was just what Carl Nafzger was looking for -- a solid effort before the summer's major test, the $1 million Travers S. (G1) on August 25. The 1 1/4-mile Travers gave us something to look forward to when Street Sense's connections backed out of the Belmont S. (G1). It was to be the next meeting between Street Sense and CURLIN (Smart Strike), who got the best of his rival by a nose in the Preakness S. (G1). Just like Nafzger following the Preakness, trainer Steve Asmussen is now backtracking from an exciting match-up with Curlin, who is headed to Sunday's Haskell Invitational (G1). Apparently, the Travers isn't a good fit for Curlin's schedule, according to Asmussen. Say it isn't so. Nobody wants to wait until late October to see Street Sense and Curlin square off again. Phenomenal Ron -- Impossible! When LAWYER RON (Langfuhr) passed the finish line in 1:46.64 in Saturday's Whitney H. (G1), a chorus of disbelievers ensued. "I don't believe my eyes, so the time can't be true" echoed the misguided theme, but the four-year-old colt's sensational clocking proved legitimate upon further examination. Lawyer Ron shattered the 1 1/8-mile track record by two-fifths of a second while drawing away to a 4 3/4-length decision, earning a 114 BRIS Speed rating for an awesome performance. His final time was more than two seconds faster than six other races, including Grade 1 and Grade 2 stakes, at the same distance from Friday-Monday at Saratoga. Lawyer Ron can clearly get it done at nine furlongs, winning the Oaklawn H. (G2) in smashing fashion earlier this season at the same distance, but 1 1/4 miles has proven to be a serious impediment. It's the only distance where he's finished out of the money in his last 15 starts, recording a ninth and a 12th-place finish in two previous attempts. His connections could ignore the past and prep him for the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) in another nine-furlong race, but Lawyer Ron should run in the 10-furlong Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) on September 30. If he falters in that spot, the Classic will be a waste of time. Read the fine print -- Don't be confused. The first "Win and You're In" Breeders' Cup Challenge races were held last weekend, but GINGER PUNCH (Awesome Again) isn't automatically in the Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) by virtue of her runaway victory in the Go for Wand H. (G1). She's secured a spot in the starting gate, but her connections are still stuck with a hefty tab of nearly $200,000, the supplemental fee required for her participation. And there's an argument to make against paying the supplemental fee regardless of circumstances. How unfortunate for the Breeders' Cup that the first weekend produced a challenge winner who isn't nominated. It highlights the fact that the new program doesn't exactly deliver what it advertises. At face value, "win and you're in" means no entry fees, no penalties -- the horse is in the race. No fat wallet required. Non-support -- We have no sympathy for Ginger Punch's owners -- it doesn't make any sense she isn't nominated. Owner/breeder Frank Stronach's Adena Springs has pocketed the last three Eclipse Awards for outstanding breeder, but the farm isn't throwing its full support behind the Breeders' Cup nomination process. It's really puzzling because this involves one of their top stallions, Awesome Again. We can understand one omission. Last year, Apple Blossom H. (G1) and Go for Wand heroine Spun Sugar (Awesome Again) wasn't nominated to the Breeders' Cup, forcing Stronach to pay $180,000 for an eighth-place finish in the Distaff. It's a recurring theme now. Spun Sugar was foaled in 2002, Ginger Punch in 2003. Awesome Again captured the 1998 Breeders' Cup Classic, and it stands to reason that Adena would automatically nominate his offspring. Nashoba -- Vanity Invitational H. (G1) and Milady Breeders' Cup H. (G2) winner NASHOBA'S KEY (Silver Hawk) is a dominant "main track" presence on the West Coast, and she's headed to Sunday's Clement L. Hirsch H. (G2) on Polytrack. Even if she thrashes her opponents on Sunday, we can't get excited about her chances in this year's Distaff at Monmouth Park. In fact, the Filly & Mare Turf (G1) will still remain an option over the Distaff. Three-for-three on turf and two-for-two on synthetic tracks, the four-year-old filly will be trying a foreign surface if she ever runs on dirt. The Hirsch makes sense because Nashoba's Key will be facing another short field with only five opponents. Saturday's grassy John C. Mabee H. (G1) holds more prestige, but it will be a much more difficult spot. The distaff division lacks depth on both coasts. The Vanity featured only four runners, and the Go for Wand attracted a whole field of six. RAGS TO RICHES (A.P. Indy), who received a clean bill of health over the weekend following a recent scare that sent her to the University of Pennsylvania's New Bolton Center for a complete check-up, is a standout if she comes back strong for Todd Pletcher. She could wind up at 1-5 over only a handful of rivals at Monmouth.
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