Street Sense (GIII)

Street Sense Trophy Race History

First held in 2013, the Street Sense Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs honors the 2007 Kentucky Derby (G1) winner who also captured the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) at Churchill the previous year in sensational style by 10 lengths.

The second of three Road to the Kentucky Derby series preps held each fall at Churchill, the Street Sense offers qualifying points of 10-5-3-2-1 to the respective top five finishers.

The Street Sense started as a one-mile race, and then was increased in distance to 1 1/16 miles in 2020. It achieved Grade 3 status for the first time in 2022.

The two most notable winners of the Street Sense to date have been Improbable (2018) and Two Phil’s (2022). Improbable went on to start as the post-time favorite in the following year’s Kentucky Derby, though he could only earn fourth money in a messy renewal. Improbable peaked as a four-year-old, winning three Grade 1s and the title as champion older dirt male.

Two Phil’s came closer to turning the Street Sense/Kentucky Derby double. An easy 5 1/4-length winner of the Street Sense in the slop, Two Phil’s finished a terrific second to Mage in the 2023 Derby, losing by only one length.

By TwinSpires Staff/TwinSpires.com