The Street Sense Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for two-year-olds over a distance of miles on the dirt scheduled annually in late October or early November at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The event currently offers a purse of $200,000.
History
The event is named after Street Sense the 2006 U.S. Champion Two-Year-Old Colt who won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Churchill Downs and won the 2007 Kentucky Derby.
The event was inaugurated on 27 October 2013 and run over a distance of one mile and was won by John C. Oxley's Coastline. Coastline starting at odds of 4/1 was ridden by jockey Shaun Bridgmohan who pressed the pace three wide, gained a short lead with a furlong to go and drew clear to win by three lengths over Ichiban Warrior in a time of 1:36.77.
One of the most impressive of the winners of the event was the 2018 winner Improbable who dominated the field, winning by lengths. As a four-year-old, Improbable won three Grade I events and was second in the 2020 GI Breeders' Cup Classic. His performance earned him U.S. Champion Older Male Horse honors.
In 2020, the distance for the event was increased to mile.
In 2022 the event was upgraded by the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association to a Grade III.
In 2023 the event was included in the qualification process for the Kentucky Derby as an event in the prep season in the Road to the Kentucky Derby. The 2024 winner Sovereignty, confirmed the quality of this event by winning the 2025 Kentucky Derby and the 2025 Belmont Stakes.
Records Speed record miles: 1:41.31 – Two Phil's (2022) 1 mile: 1:35.55 – McCraken (2016)
Margins lengths – Improbable (2018)
Most wins by a jockey 2 – Shaun Bridgmohan (2013, 2014) 2 – Brian Hernandez Jr. (2016, 2020)
Most wins by a trainer 2 – Mark E. Casse (2013, 2014) 2 – Ian R. Wilkes (2016, 2017)
Most wins by an owner No owner has won the event more than once
Winners Year Winner Jockey Trainer Owner Distance Time Purse Grade Ref2025 Incredibolt Jaime Torres Riley Mott Pin Oak Stud miles1:44.67$200,000III2024SovereigntyJunior Alvarado William I. Mott Godolphin miles1:43.86$197,500III2023Liberal ArtsCristian A. TorresRobert MedinaStephen Ferraro & Evan Ferraro miles1:46.50$199,000 III2022 Two Phil's Jareth Loveberry Larry Rivelli Patricia's Hope & Phillip Segan miles 1:41.31$199,800III2021Howling Time Joseph TalamoDale L. RomansAlbaugh Family Stables miles1:44.68$200,000Listed2020King Fury Brian Hernandez Jr.Kenneth G. McPeekFern Circle Stables & Three Chimneys Farm miles1:44.30$98,000Listed 2019South BendJulien R. Leparoux Stanley HoughSagamore Farm1 mile 1:35.56$123,664 2018Improbable Drayden Van DykeBob BaffertWinStar Farm, China Horse Club & SF Racing 1 mile1:35.61$100,000 2017Gotta Go Chris LanderosIan R. Wilkes Lothenbach Stables1 mile1:37.48$83,001 2016McCraken Brian Hernandez Jr.Ian R. WilkesWhitham Thoroughbreds1 mile1:35.55 $83,470 2015Mo Tom Corey J. LanerieChris RichardG M B Racing1 mile1:36.78 $81,750 2014Conquest Tsunami Shaun BridgmohanMark E. CasseConquest Stables 1 mile1:37.00 $55,221 2013CoastlineShaun BridgmohanMark E. CasseJohn C. Oxley1 mile1:36.77$61,800
See also List of American and Canadian Graded races
References