Street Sense looks strong for Preakness

After watching Street Sense slingshot his way to victory in the Kentucky Derby, James Tafel is one confident owner. He’s also cautious heading into the Preakness, knowing full well the pitfalls that lie between success and failure.

“If Street Sense runs his race, I don’t think anybody can beat him,” the 83-year-old Tafel said, pausing a few seconds before adding, “but if something peculiar happens, if he gets bumped, if he gets tripped, if he gets bitten, all the vicissitudes of horse racing

Tafel and just about everyone else at Pimlico Race Course next Saturday will be reminded of last year’s Preakness -- when Derby winner Barbaro took his ill-fated misstep a few hundred yards into the race.

“Accidents happen, and I’ve thought about Barbaro many times,” Tafel said, “Who knows? He might have hurt himself when he burst through the gate the first time and it was not discernible. I don’t think it’s going to affect this running at all. I hope not.”

It certainly will affect emotions just before the gates spring open for the 132nd Preakness. And when it’s over, Tafel hopes Street Sense will be in the winner’s circle with a chance to capture the Triple Crown three weeks later in the Belmont Stakes.

That was supposed to happen with Barbaro, who overpowered his Derby rivals and stood poised to become the first horse to sweep the Derby, Preakness and Belmont since Affirmed in 1978. But he never got the opportunity, and eight months after his right hind leg was shattered, Barbaro was euthanized -- just as the Triple Crown trail was beginning for this year’s crop of 3-year-olds.

Now, after winning the Derby by 2 1/4 lengths, Street Sense is in position to become racing’s next darling. Tafel and trainer Carl Nafzger had been so focused on winning the Derby that they’re just starting to warm up to what’s ahead.

“This horse has touched the senses and hearts of a lot of people,” Tafel said. “I think we’re obligated to go on because our business needs new heroes. It may be fleeting, but I think Street Sense is the current hero.”

There are plenty of challengers trying to play spoiler. Start with Hard Spun, the Derby runner-up who had the lead in the stretch only to be left in the dust by jockey Calvin Borel’s rail-hugging ride aboard Street Sense.

Maryland’s top jockey, Mario Pino, will be back on Hard Spun, and trainer Larry Jones is looking for his rider and others to prevent Borel -- aka “Bo-rail” -- from another rail-riding win. Street Sense pulled off the same move in romping to a record 10-length victory in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile last year.

“How can Calvin ride the rail the way he did and have 15 jockeys give it to him just like they did in the Breeders’ Cup?” Jones wondered. “He should have had a bull’s-eye on him. I don’t want to sound like sour grapes, but it’s a little more bitter knowing that if they hadn’t gotten that trip, I might have had a Derby winner.”

The 1 3/16 th-mile Preakness will feature the top three Derby finishers, following trainer Steve Asmussen’s decision Thursday to enter Curlin. A fourth starter -- 17th-place Teuflesberg -- also is set for the $1 million race.

Among the new shooters is trainer Todd Pletcher’s King Of The Roxy, winner of the Hutcheson Stakes and runner-up in the Santa Anita Derby.