by Mike Curry
Preakness Stakes (G1) winner Curlin gradually reeled in multiple Grade 1 winner Lawyer Ron in the closing strides to prevail by a neck in the $765,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes (G1) on Sunday at Belmont Park.
Trained by Steve Asmussen, Curlin entered the Jockey Club Gold Cup off an eight-week layoff following a third-place finish in the Haskell Invitational Stakes (G1) on August 5 at Monmouth Park. The win cemented Curlin’s spot in the $5-million Breeders’ Cup Classic Powered by Dodge (G1) in the new Breeders’ Cup Challenge ‘Win and You’re In’ series.
“I think he’s an outstanding horse, and he proved so once again today,” said Asmussen, who trains Curlin for owners George Bolton, Stonestreet Stables, Padua Stables, and Midnight Cry Stable.
Curlin outfinished Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) winner Street Sense in a dramatic finish to win the Preakness by a head on May 19. The three-year-old Smart Strike colt subsequently came up a head short in a thrilling stretch duel with Rags to Riches in the Belmont Stakes (G1) on June 9, and Curlin again was forced to fight a game foe to the finish at Belmont in the Jockey Club Gold Cup.
Brother Bobby went right to the lead and was soon pressed by Lawyer Ron, who entered off consecutive wins in the Whitney Handicap (G1) on July 28 and the Woodward Stakes (G1) on September 1, both at Saratoga Race Course.
Curlin, sent off as the second choice at 2.10-to-1, raced in fifth then fourth under jockey Robby Albarado through an opening quarter in :24.26 and a half-mile in :47.88 in the 1 1/4-mile race. Making his first start against older horses, Curlin surged into contention from three wide leaving the turn as 7-to-10 favorite Lawyer Ron powered past Brother Bobby.
Lawyer Ron opened a clear lead in the lane, but Curlin steadily sliced into the lead with a relentless rally on the outside and wore down Lawyer Ron to prevail in 2:01.20 on a track rated as fast.
“Curlin loves being outside, so I was pretty confident during the stretch drive,” Albarado said. “It feels great to beat a great horse; Lawyer Ron is a great horse.”
Lawyer Ron was four lengths clear of third-place finisher and Grade 1 winner Political Force.
Curlin, who won the Arkansas Derby (G2) and finished third in the Kentucky Derby, improved to five wins in eight starts and increased his earnings to $2,402,800. Unraced as a juvenile, Curlin is one of three winners from five starters out of the unraced Deputy Minister mare Sherriff’s Deputy.
“The third in the Haskell and the third in the Kentucky Derby were against horses whose form had held up,” Asmussen said. “We’ll all meet in a month’s time, probably to decide a lot of honors. He’ll fly to Keeneland [Race Course on Monday] and prep there.”
For an Equibase chart, click here.
Mike Curry is a Thoroughbred Times daily news editor