ALMS

Tafel wins Kentucky Derby

Tafel's Street Sense Wins Kentucky Derby Cumming, Georgia, May 5, 2007 -- James Tafel won the Kentucky Derby today with his horse Street Sense. James, Father of sportscar racer Jim, had the favorite at post time, 9-2. With jockey Calvin Borel ...

Published: May 6, 2007, 5:52 PM

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Tafel's Street Sense Wins Kentucky Derby

Cumming, Georgia, May 5, 2007 -- James Tafel won the Kentucky Derby today with his horse Street Sense. James, Father of sportscar racer Jim, had the favorite at post time, 9-2. With jockey Calvin Borel aboard the three-year old Colt the Tafel family won the 133rd running of the Kentucky Derby presented by Yum! Brands.

Starting from the seventh position, Street Sense went away from the gate in typical style, lagging toward the back of the field. Crossing the quarter-mark somewhere around 19th he made steady work to get to the front. Borel, also known as Bo-rail for his affinity to run his horses on the rail, steered Street Sense to the white rail at Churchill Downs, running the race planned by Borel and trainer Carl Nafzger. At the three-quarter pole a gap opened up and Borel made his move. Street Sense streaked to the lead and never looked back, taking the biggest prize in horse racing by nearly two-lengths.

The build-up to the Derby, some nearly 12-hours of TV coverage for the fastest two-minutes in sports can give anyone butter flies. Jim Tafel is still soaking in the experience and the joy of sharing his Father's victory.

"It hasn't even hit me yet, but what a day" Jim Tafel said. "He was second to the last at the start; I thought this thing is over. In that amount time, he pulled a Houdini and went to the front. When the horses went by our box, he was last. The density of great horses for him to go through to get to the front was amazing. He drilled it down through there, picked up the pace and won. It was one of the most special days of my life. It was magnified even more watching my Dad win and accomplish a dream. Everything afterward was just so special -- fun!"

"To win the Kentucky Derby is the aspiration of every horse owner," James Tafel said. "It is overwhelming and will prove to be even more so down stream."

"A smooth early start," Borel said. "I was able to get on the rail and I knew we were good down the back stretch. I had a bomb under me today. The lane just opened up past the three-quarter pole and he has a great turn of foot when you need it, what a run!"

"When I saw him shoot the gap at the three-quarter distance it was up to Calvin to bring him home and he did," Carl Nafzger, Street Sense, trainer said.

Street Sense will take to the gate in pursuit of the Triple Crown of horse racing at the Preakness Stakes in exactly two-weeks on May 19th. The last Triple Crown winner was Affirmed in 1978.

-credit: tafel racing

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