Street Cry stallion Street Hero will not return to Australia this year.

The USA Group 1 winner has shuttled between Vinery’s Kentucky headquarters and Makybe in Victoria for the last two southern seasons.

Street Hero was rated the fourth best colt of his generation on the 2008 US Free Handicap.  He won the G1 Norfolk Stakes, defeating eventual champion Midshipman, and was placed in both the G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and the G1 Del Mar Futurity.  He never finished worse than third in all six starts.

“After reviewing and considering all the options, we felt taking one hemisphere off might be in the best interest of Street Hero,” Vinery president Tom Ludt said.  “He’s bred for two consecutive years in both hemispheres and not all stallions can do that continuously.”

Street Hero finished with a 79% fertility rating in his first southern season at Makybe.  There are 27 foals from that crop on the ground.

“We support the decision of Vinery not to shuttle Street Hero for this season,” Makybe’s Deslee Santic said.  “It’s in everyone’s best interests to maintain the integrity of the stallion ensuring he is around for many years to come.”

Street Hero is by Darley’s successful dual-hemisphere sire Street Cry from the Summer Squall mare Squall Linda who won three races and was G3 placed in the Monrovia Handicap at Santa Anita.

Street Hero is an older half-brother to Premier Pegasus who staked his claim for the 2011 Kentucky Derby with a G2 victory in the San Felipe Stakes on March 12.  The Fusaichi Pegasus colt will take the next step towards Churchill Downs in the G1 Santa Anita Derby on April 9.