Hero wins a Street fight in Norfolk

Owner/breeder/trainer Myung Kwon Cho's STREET HERO (Street Cry [Ire]) found a

good time to break his maiden when outfinishing a trio of competitors in the

$250,000 Norfolk S. (G1) over the Pro-Ride surface at Santa Anita on Sunday. The

juvenile colt was away in good order, tracked the early tempo along the rail and

found himself in a bit of traffic as the field approached the final turn. Once

the 6-1 third choice got clear, Alex Solis stayed busy on him as a trio

of challengers were in close range. The winner completed the 1 1/16 miles in 1:42 and

rewarded faithful backers with mutuels of $14.20, $6.40 and $4 while

three-quarters of a length clear at the finish.

It was a pair of noses separating the next three finishers, with Midshipman

(Seeking the Gold) earning the place spot on the outside. The runner-up was in

good striking range at the top of the lane and finished well as the 3-1 second

choice, paying $4.40 and $3.20 in the process. Believe in Hope (Thunder Gulch)

finished with good energy on the inside to notch the third-place award, good for

$5.60 at nearly 11-1. The $1 exacta paid $25.60, the $1 trifecta returned $184.50

and the $1 superfecta totaled $1,496.60 (4-6-7-3) with pacesetter Del

Conte (Point Given) running a big fourth at 27-1. Silent Valor (Lion Heart) was

next and followed by Azul Leon (Lion Heart), Tiger Blitz (Tiger Ridge), 7-5

choice Regal Ransom (Distorted Humor) and Liturgical (Songandaprayer). Brushburn

(Unusual Heat) was scratched.

Street Hero improved his lifetime line to 5-1-2-2, $206,360, with this

conquer. The colt failed on three occasions to break through with maiden foes,

and exits a visually impressive third in the Del Mar Futurity (G1). He was bred

in Kentucky and is out of Monrovia H. (G3) runner-up Squall Linda (Summer

Squall), who is also responsible for an unnamed yearling filly by Yes It's True

and an unnamed weanling colt by Fusiachi Pegasus. This is the same female family

as Australian champion November Rain (Estaminet).