Romans pair of Red Knobs, Howling Time lead Churchill's Street Sense

Trainer Dale Romans’ promising duo of Iroquois Stakes (Grade III) third-place finisher Red Knobs, along with impressive maiden winner Howling Time, top an ultra-competitive field of nine 2-year-olds that were entered in Sunday’s ninth running of the $200,000 Street Sense at Churchill Downs.

Sunday’s 17th annual “Stars of Tomorrow I” program, which features all 2-year-old races, kicks off the 21-day Fall Meet. First post is 1 p.m. EDT.

The 1 1/16-mile Street Sense shares the Sunday spotlight with the $200,000 Rags to Riches, which will also be run at 1 1/16 miles for 2-year-old fillies. The Street Sense is carded as Race 10 at 5:36 p.m. while the Rags to Riches will go as Race 5 at 3:03 p.m.

Albaugh Family Stables’ Howling Time, a 2-year-old son of Not This Time, broke his maiden on Sept. 25 at Churchill Downs by 1 1/2 lengths in a six-furlong maiden special weight contest. The $200,000 purchase from the 2020 Keeneland September yearling sale stopped the teletimer in 1:10.15 to earn a stout 91 Brisnet Speed Rating. Howling Time will be ridden by Joe Talamo from post position No. 6. 

Meanwhile, his stablemate, Jim Bakke and Gerald Isbister’s Red Knobs, was only defeated by one-length in the Iroquois by winner Major General and Tough to Tame. The chestnut son of Union Rags broke his maiden this summer at Ellis Park by an impressive 6 1/4 lengths. He’ll be ridden by James Graham from post 9.

Among the other top contenders in the Street Sense field are Kentucky Downs Juvenile Sprint winner Red Danger; Kentucky Downs Juvenile Mile runner-up Kiss the Sky; Ellis Park Juvenile runner-up Lucky Boss; and 10 1/2-length maiden breaker Skippylongstocking.