Most exciting thing in racing?

Nothing in racing really compares to seeing a first time starter display real talent. Sure, the big stakes are what really matters but is there a horseplayer alive who wouldn't prefer finding the next big stakes winner out of his or her maiden race than correctly picking, say, the Derby winner?

It is the lightly raced horses just beginning their journey that dreams are built upon. They are thus far unblemished, could be literally anything. Ridiculous dreams somehow seem perfectly reasonable as no contradictory evidence yet exists.

If you were at, or watching, Colonial Downs Friday the 13th you can be forgiven for dreaming ridiculous dreams after watching C Street explode down the center of the Secretariat Turf Course to win his career debut in race 7, a maiden special weight at one mile on turf.

C Street broke very slowly and was dead last going into the first turn. He showed absolutely no interest, racing 16 lengths behind the leader after a quarter of mile. C Street seemed perfectly content to continue to lope along in last down the backstretch before finally picking up his feet just a bit on the far turn. He turned for home with exactly one horse beaten, still nine lengths behind the leaders and apparently hopelessly beaten.

Jockey Julian Pimentel swung C Street to the outside turning for home and the 3-year-old launched a simply devastating rally to run down 3-5 favorite Stormin Vow in the final sixteenth and win by three-quarters of a length in 1:36.94.

It was as visually impressive as a race can be. The time was unimpressive - it will likely result in a Beyer in the low to mid 70s - but between the visual and the last quarter in :23, C Street seems destined for stakes races in the not too distant future for trainer Michael Trombetta.

C Street is bred to be a top class horse. Sire Street Cry is off to a great start at stud after a top class racing career and dam Harvest the Gold has already produced one Grade I winner in 1997 Hollywood Starlet champ Love Lock.

This is horse racing, so literally anything can happen but those at Colonial Downs this muggy Friday the 13th may well be able to brag "I was there" when C Street broke his maiden.