To say that things are done a little differently in New York and California is a little bit like saying Justin Bieber is kinda popular with the young girls. If you believe all the stereotypes, Southern California is full of sunshine and movie stars, not to mention plastic surgeons, blondes with enhancements, health food diet trends, food trucks, both fake and real tans, and laid back surfer dudes. Meanwhile in New York, things are just a bit more hurried, grittier and cultured for the Yankee lovers. It is said their hard working population is as proud of being pushy and loud as they are of Woody Allen … not that there is anything wrong with either stereotypical lifestyle. It’s a comparison that’s gone on for generations, and today two young colts did their part to further the great divide between New York and California with stunning maiden performances.Both well-bred colts, Bodemeister and Street Life, easily broke their maidens today in their second lifetime starts. That is where the similarities end.
It began in the fifth race today at Aqueduct in a 1 mile and 70 yard maiden special weight. Street Life, a son of the young Kentucky Derby winning sire, Street Sense, and out of Stone Hope, a daughter of another Kentucky Derby winner, Grindstone, was sent off at 4-1 following a dull maiden sprint at Gulfstream last month. Much like as in his debut, Street Life toiled way back in the pack early in his first attempt at running a route of ground. Still detached from the rest of the eight horse field on the far turn, it looked as if a repeat performance of his failed sprint was in the cards, that is until he started gobbling up large chunks of ground at the head of the stretch. On the front end Quorom had spurted clear and looked home free, but only briefly, as Street Life was now in full flight on the outside. In a matter of a couple strides it became clear that the Chad Brown trainee was going to inhale the field. Even when Quorom came out a bit, it mattered little as Junior Alvarado deftly steered Street Life to the rail and powered by to win going away by 2 ½ lengths. The time of 1:45.20 was nothing to write home about, and who knows what he was beating, but the stretch run was so visually impressive that you cannot help but to look forward to Street Life’s next race.
About 3,000 miles away and a little less than 2 ½ hours later, it would be Bodemeister’s turn. Unlike the maiden winner on the opposite coast, this $260,000 yearling purchase had shown plenty of promise in his debut when finishing second in a fast 5 ½ furlong race at Santa Anita three weeks ago. Still, he was sent off at no lower than a 2-1 third choice, as there were two other highly regarded maidens in the race, in Welter Weight and Stirred Up. Any drama over which well thought of colt would prove best were quickly put to bed when Bodemeister started fast and just kept on going for Hall of Fame trainer, Bob Baffert. The good looking son of Empire Maker cleared the field early, led them on a fruitless chase through early fractions of :23.09 and :46.95, before pouring it on the final four furlongs under rider Rafael Bejarano. Lengthening his advantage with every impressive stride, Bodemeister cruised home a 9 ¼ length romping winner as the other two hotshots were left to fight it out in a photo finish for second money. The final time for the flat mile on the fast Santa Anita track was a strong 1:34.45.
Two decidedly different ways of doing it and in two very different places, but after today, you’d have to agree that Bodemeister and Street Life will be a pair to keep your eyes on wherever they run next.
