NEWS
Curlin, Pyro impress Asmussen in six-furlong breeze
Posted: Wednesday, January 30, 2008 4:16 PM
CURLIN
NTRA photo
Curlin, the 2007 Horse of the Year and champion three-year-old male, breezed six furlongs in 1:13 on Wednesday at Fair Grounds in company with Grade 1-placed winner Pyro.
“That was impressive,” said trainer Steve Asmussen, who timed the breeze two-fifths of a second faster. “I think we’re right where we want to be with both of them.”
Curlin and regular exercise rider Carmen Rosas and Pyro, ridden by Dominic Terry, worked together through fractions of :24.60, :36.60, :49, and 1:00.80. The stablemates galloped out seven furlongs in 1:26 and one mile in 1:40.40, and covered the Fair Grounds stretch in 24 seconds despite battling a strong headwind.
Curlin was nominated for the $150,000 Mineshaft Handicap (G3), a 1 1/16-mile race for older horses on February 9. The Smart Strike colt won six of nine starts last season, including victories in the Preakness Stakes (G1) and Breeders’ Cup Classic Powered by Dodge (G1).
Pyro finished second in the Bessemer Trust Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) in his previous start on October 27 at Monmouth Park. The Pulpit colt was one of three finalists for champion two-year-old male, and may make his seasonal debut in the $300,000 Risen Star Stakes (G3), a 1 1/16-mile race for three-year-olds on February 9.
“The Risen Star, no doubt, will be tough,” Asmussen said. “But Curlin won’t be running.”
Asmussen expects to work Curlin and Pyro again on Tuesday.
