by Mike Curry

Curlin completed an easy breeze on Saturday at Nad al Sheba racecourse in preparation for his scheduled season debut on Thursday in a $175,000 handicap race in Dubai.

The four-year-old Smart Strike colt, winner of the 2007 Eclipse Award as both Horse of the Year and champion three-year-old male, breezed 800 meters (3.98 furlongs) in :50.50 under regular exercise rider Carmen Rosas.

Scott Blasi, assistant to trainer Steve Asmussen, accompanied Curlin to Dubai.

“He went very, very well,” said Blasi, who said Curlin was feeling so good after the move he needed to put a lip chain on the colt as he cooled out. “I’m very happy with how he’s acting. I see a lot of similarities with how he has been before his previous races.”

The 2,000-meter (9.94-furlong) race on Thursday will serve as Curlin’s prep race for the $6-million Emirates Airline Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1) on March 29 at Nad al Sheba.

Curlin amassed six wins, one second, and two thirds in nine starts as a three-year-old after he was unraced as a juvenile.

He won the Rebel Stakes (G3) and Arkansas Derby (G2) and finished third on May 5 in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) in only his fourth career start.

Curlin captured the Preakness Stakes (G1) two weeks later and finished second by a head to Rags to Riches in the Belmont Stakes (G1) on June 9.

Curlin closed his campaign with consecutive victories in the Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes (G1) on September 30 at Belmont Park and the Breeders’ Cup Classic Powered by Dodge (G1) on October 27 at Monmouth Park.

Out of the unraced Deputy Minister mare Sherriff’s Deputy, Curlin has earned $5,102,800.

Mike Curry is Thoroughbred Times TODAY editor