by Pete Denk

Jess Jackson, Satish Sanan, and George Bolton have privately purchased a majority interest in the three-year-old Smart Strike colt Curlin, who won his debut at Gulfstream Park by 12 3/4 lengths on Saturday, for an undisclosed amount.

Midnight Cry Stable, which consists of Lexington attorneys Shirley Cunningham Jr. and Bill Gallion, retained an interest in Curlin, who was trained by Helen Pitts for his debut.

Steve Asmussen will train Curlin for the new partnership, said John Moynihan, bloodstock advisor for Jackson.

“He’ll get with Steve as soon as we can get him to Fair Grounds,” Moynihan said. “He looks like a phenomenal racehorse, so we took a shot. We don’t have any races picked out for him yet. The partners will discuss our options with Steve and go from there.”

Curlin is out of the Deputy Minister mare Sherriff’s Deputy. Curlin won his seven-furlong debut in 1:22.25 over a fast track after battling for the lead and drifting out considerably in the stretch.

“It’s just the way he did it that impressed a lot of people,” Moynihan said. “For a horse to start first time out going seven-eighths of a mile and do what he did … he’s a runner. And it looks like it took nothing out of him. He looks like a good prospect.”

Jackson’s Stonestreet Stables also owns Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2) winner Tiz Wonderful, but the undefeated Tiznow ridgling has been sidelined by a tendon injury. Moynihan did not rule out making a run at the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) with Curlin, but he said that was not the reason behind the acquisition.

“We were happy to take our place on the sideline and wait for Tiz Wonderful, but the opportunity to buy this horse came up,” Moynihan said. “It was more an opportunity to acquire a good horse than the Derby in mind.”

Trainer Ken McPeek bought Curlin at the 2005 Keeneland September yearling sale on behalf of Midnight Cry Stable for $57,000. The colt was consigned by Eaton Sales.

“I found him late in the sale, and I thought he was a beautiful-bodied colt, a real standout at that point of the sale,” McPeek said on Wednesday.

Pete Denk is a Thoroughbred Times staff writer