NEWS
Curlin pleases connections in turf workout
Posted: Tuesday, July 01, 2008 11:04 AM
CURLIN WORKING OUT ON TUESDAY AT CHURCHILL DOWNS
Reed Palmer photo
by Jeff Lowe
Reigning Horse of the Year Curlin pleased his connections in a breeze on turf on Tuesday morning at Churchill Downs.
With the connections mulling a possible start in this year’s Qatar Prix l’Arc de Triomphe (Fr-G1), Curlin worked seven furlongs in 1:31.20 under jockey Robby Albarado with the dogs up on the Churchill course. The four-year-old Smart Strike colt, who has never raced on turf, worked in company with allowance winner Hawaii Calls.
Curlin spotted his workmate about two lengths before rallying on cue from the outside. He crossed the wire about a half-length ahead of Hawaii Calls and galloped out one mile in 1:45.60.
“It was very exciting to work him [on the turf]. He’s a tremendous athlete,” said trainer Steve Asmussen. “I was very pleased with how he looked. The main thing is that Robby loved how he felt. … The reason I wanted Robby to work him today was for him to feel what he expects. I believe Curlin deserves to be prepared for what’s going to happen. Everybody was very pleased with how he handled it. He is blowing off of this move. [Seven furlongs in 1:31] and change here around the dogs is a very good move. He [galloped out] exceptional, as always.
“One thing that I really liked about it is that when he went on the turf course and jogged off he kept that presence about him, no caution, no worry. He was very confident and very relaxed behind the horse and paced him well. He didn’t get aggressive like he wasn’t sure of what he was supposed to do. I thought he picked [Hawaii Calls] up very smoothly. When he got to [Hawaii Calls], I thought head-and-head he was a little aggressive, which is what you would expect from him at that stage.”
Curlin could make his turf debut on July 12 in either the 1 1/4-mile Arlington Handicap (G3) at Arlington Park or the 1 3/8-mile Man o’ War Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park, although licensing issues involving minority owner Midnight Cry Stables might be a hurdle in either jurisdiction. Shirley Cunningham and Bill Gallion, who race as Midnight Cry, own a 20% share of Curlin while Jess Jackson’s Stonestreet Stable owns 80% of the 2007 Preakness Stakes (G1) winner.
Cunningham and Gallion are not licensed in Illinois, and Cunningham is not licensed in New York. Normally that would only be a formality, but Cunningham and Gallion are facing federal charges for allegedly bilking their clients in a lawsuit settlement related to the diet drug Fen-Phen. Jurors are deliberating a verdict in the case. A felony conviction could disqualify them from receiving a license.
Jackson’s wife, Barbara Banke, said Stonestreet representatives had been in contact with licensing authorities in both states.
“We’re optimistic,” Banke said.
Albarado believes a switch to turf would not be an issue for the Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1) winner.
“The way he’s going now, I think he’ll run over anything, any type of surface. We were a bit concerned, well not concerned but optimistic, that he would get over this turf course,” Albarado said. “He worked to our expectations.”
Aside from the licensing issues, weight could play a factor in the decision of which race Curlin would target since the Arlington race is a handicap.
Curlin carried 128 pounds when he won the Stephen Foster Handicap (G1) on June 14 at Churchill and he was assigned 130 pounds for the Firecracker Handicap (G2) on the Louisville track’s turf course on Friday.
Asmussen said his priority would be to establish Curlin’s “level of quality on the turf with his next race and not get ahead of ourselves.”
“We have to see if he can compete at the same level—a nice work is not a graded stake,” Asmussen said. “If he can compete at his level on the turf and we get the race that we expect, we will map out how to win the Arc with him.
“I think that getting him over there immediately and getting him used to going right (on right-handed turns) would be the biggest obstacle that we face. I think if we establish that he’s as good a horse on the turf as he is on the dirt, then we get him over there and get him relaxed, comfortable and confident, and doing right.”
Jeff Lowe is a Thoroughbred Times staff writer
