King Fury Brings Home the Win in Street Sense Stakes

Fern Circle Stables and Three Chimneys Farm's King Fury picked up the first stakes win of his career Oct. 25 in the $98,000 Street Sense Overnight Stakes at Churchill Downs. 

Trained by Kenny McPeek and ridden by Brian Hernandez, Jr., 2-year-old King Fury broke a tad slow in the 1 1/16-mile dirt race and settled in midpack where he tracked the pace behind leader Franz Josef. 

Guided by Julien Leparoux, Franz Josef established a clear advantage early on and clicked off fractions of :24.60 and :49.51 through the opening half-mile. Super Stock pressed the pace running just off the rail and whittled Franz Josef's lead to a head as they reached the six-furlong mark in 1:14.34. 

King Fury inched closer to the leaders as they moved off the turn for home. Just outside of Super Stock, King Fury ranged up approaching the furlong pole and finally eked out a head advantage as Franz Josef began to wane. 

King Fury continued to battle all the way to the wire with Super Stock, was able to extend his advantage to a half-length in the final strides, and crossed the finish in 1:44.30. Super Stock held for second, followed by Oncoming Train in third. Arabian Prince, Franz Josef, and Crime Spree completed the order of finish.

"This is a Kentucky Derby-type horse," said McPeek. "We may look at the Breeders' Cup Juvenile but more than likely just wait for the (Nov. 28) Kentucky Jockey Club. The future is very bright for a horse like this."

Bred in Kentucky by Heider Family Stables, King Fury is out of the Flatter  mare Taris, a millionaire earner and winner of the Humana Distaff Stakes (G1). The son of Curlin was purchased for $950,000 by Fern Circle (Paul Fireman) from the consignment of Hill 'n' Dale Sales Agency to The Saratoga Sale, Fasig-Tipton's select yearling sale. 

King Fury entered the Street Sense off an off-the-board finish in the Oct. 3 Claiborne Breeders' Futurity (G1) at Keeneland. The colt broke his maiden on debut Sept. 3 at Churchill Downs. His two firsts bring King Fury's earnings to $116,979. 

Coach Stays Perfect in Rags to Riches

Kueber Racing's Coach improved to 3-for-3 Sunday with a decisive 2 1/2-length score in the $98,000 Rags to Riches Overnight Stakes at Churchill for trainer Brad Cox. 

Ridden by Florent Geroux, Coach broke midpack but found her feet quickly and moved up to take third behind Malibu Bird and Salty as Can Be, respectively. Malibu Bird came under early pressure from Salty as Can Be, who dueled just off the rail through an opening half-mile in :47.98. 

Coach kept the frontrunners in her sight and made her move off the far turn, overtaking Salty as Can Be and then Malibu Bird, who weakened and dropped back drastically off the turn before being eased down the lane on the way home. 

Lady Traveler, who had raced just off the pace along the backside, made her own four-wide move off the turn and was within a length of Coach as they hit the top of the stretch. Not to be denied, Coach fought back and continued to extend her advantage all the way to the wire. Lady Traveler did not have enough in reserve to pose a serious threat in the end and finished second. Coach completed the race in 1:45.14. 

Lady Traveler was followed by Oliviaofthedesert in third.

"With the pedigree, we thought (Coach) would like the extra distance," said Cox. "With a horse making their start around two turns for the first time, you never really know how they'll handle the extra ground. She showed today that she loved it."

Bred in Kentucky by Three Lyons Racing, Coach is the second foal out of the Exchange Rate mare And Stay Out. The filly broke her maiden Aug. 10 at Indiana Grand and followed that effort with an allowance victory Sept. 15 at the same track. Her three wins bring her earnings to $96,540. 

Coach was purchased by BSW Bloodstock for $65,000 from the Candy Meadows Sales consignment to the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October Yearlings Sale.  

Video: Street Sense Overnight S. (BT)

Video: Rags to Riches Overnight S. (BT)