NEWS
Curlin turns in 'perfect' move in preparation for World Cup
Posted: Monday, March 24, 2008 4:16 AM
Horse of the Year Curlin turned in a flawless final serious workout on Monday at Nad al Sheba racecourse in preparation for an expected start in the $6-million Emirates Airline Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1) on Saturday.
Scott Blasi, assistant to trainer Steve Asmussen, dubbed the four-year-old Smart Strike colt’s 800-meter (3.98-furlong) move “perfect.”
Curlin covered the distance in :50.16 under regular exercise rider Carmen “Carlos” Rosas and galloped out 1,000 meters (4.97 furlongs) in 1:06.18 on the main track at Nad al Sheba.
“He’s physically ready to do what we are going to ask him to do on Saturday,” Blasi said.
Curlin enters the 2,000-meter (9.94-furlong) Dubai World Cup off a 2 1/4-length win in the $175,000 Jaguar Trophy at the same distance on February 28 at Nad al Sheba.
Curlin won six of nine starts last year and won the Eclipse Award as Horse of the Year and champion three-year-old male. He won the Preakness (G1) and Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) Stakes and closed his campaign with a convincing 4 1/2-length score in the Breeders’ Cup Classic Powered by Dodge (G1) on October 27 at Monmouth Park. He finished third in the 2007 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) in only his fourth career start and was the runner-up in the Belmont Stakes (G1).
Asmussen trains Curlin for majority owner Jess Jackson’s Stonestreet Stables.
United States-based Dubai World Cup contender Well Armed also worked on Monday at Nad al Sheba. The five-year-old Tiznow gelding breezed 800 meters in :48 under exercise rider Iggy Puglisi.
“I just wanted him to go an easy half-mile, which he did,” said Eoin Harty, who trains Well Armed for owner WinStar Farm. “He galloped out strong. He’s very fit and he’s sound, so it was just a routine maintenance work.
“Some light galloping, a trip to the starting gate, and that will be it.”
Well Armed enters the Dubai World Cup off a victory in the San Antonio Handicap (G2) on February 9 at Santa Anita Park.
