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#1
02-04-2008, 12:34 PM
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If anyone was rushed, it was Curlin. 
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#2
02-04-2008, 12:36 PM
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Spin that one Dr. Welby.
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#3
02-04-2008, 12:40 PM
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#4
02-04-2008, 12:37 PM
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ERA.....
Curlin confirmed for Dubai World Cup and local prep The connections of American Horse of the Year Curlin have accepted the challenge of meeting the best from around the globe in the US$6 million Dubai World Cup (Gr.1) in hopes of proving that their horse is the undisputed king of racing. “We want exactly what the race stands for,” trainer Steve Asmussen said on Monday. “That’s how I hope that others will feel about him—that he’s the best horse in the world. I want others to feel about him the same way I do.” Principal owner Jess Jackson agrees. In a statement released on Monday confirming the Dubai plans, he said: “It comes down to the fact that Curlin has earned the chance to compete in the Dubai World Cup and has the opportunity to continue to make history as an international champion. The horse’s greatest moments and best efforts may still lie ahead.” Asmussen said he plans to ship Curlin to Dubai on February 15, with arrival the following morning. Assistant trainer Scott Blasi, who has overseen some of Asmussen’s previous Dubai runners on their trips to the United Arab Emirates, will accompany Curlin. If all goes well with the trip, Asmussen intends to prep the four-year-old son of Smart Strike in a 2,000-meter race on the dirt on February 28 during the Dubai International Racing Carnival at Nad Al Sheba Racecourse. The month between that race and the Dubai World Cup seems to fit Curlin’s ideal pattern of accomplishment. “I love the month between the races, a la the Jockey Club Gold Cup (Gr.1) and the (Breeders’ Cup) Classic (Gr.1),” Asmussen said, referring to Curlin’s final two victories of 2007. “The quarantine stuff will be out of the way and he’ll have a month to get ready for the big race. “The horse likes to know where he’s at,” he added. “His second race at Belmont (the Gold Cup) was better than his first (a close runner-up effort in the Belmont Stakes [Gr.1]), and his second race at Monmouth (his smashing Classic victory) was better than his first (a third in the Haskell Invitational Stakes [Gr.1]). If it’s there in black and white like that, I believe it’s true.” Curlin is set for a workout on Tuesday morning at the Fair Grounds in New Orleans. When asked how the muscular chesnut is doing following a month of serious training, Asmussen laughed with delight. “Like he’s a deserved Horse of the Year,” he said. “He’s all that and a bag of peanuts.” Curlin has won six of nine career starts, including the classic Preakness Stakes (Gr.1), and placed the other three times, earning $5,102,800. Both Asmussen and Jackson are keenly aware that success in a seasonal campaign that includes the Dubai World Cup with its winner’s prize of $3.6 million could propel their horse past Cigar as the all-time earnings leader outside of Japan. The winner of the inaugural Dubai World Cup in 1996, Cigar amassed more than $9.9 million. Jackson, who owns 80% of Curlin with the Midnight Cry Stable holding the remaining 20%, said he hopes Curlin can become a hero in the sport during his 2008 campaign and help with overall marketing and promotion of Thoroughbred racing. “I deeply care about improving the state of Thoroughbred racing as well as the horse industry in general,” he said. “We, as the owners of Curlin, are trying to do our part to help. Fellow owners and I have joined others in the industry in a broad-based (American) effort to elevate the industry in a variety of ways, and this campaign is one of the more visible.”
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#5
02-04-2008, 12:40 PM
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Do you think his nose grew when he said this? They are racing him there because of the purse....and I don't think anybody would blame them for that. However, the rest is pure and simple Trainerspeak.....and no sane person ever believes that. I highly doubt any reasonable judge of talent doesn't already believe he is the best dirt horse in the world.
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#6
02-04-2008, 12:43 PM
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Best dirt horse in the world?  Yeah we'll see about that on WCD. I can't wait to hear the excuses.....
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#7
02-04-2008, 12:51 PM
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I understand. Personally, while I wouldn't suggest that I know the individual horse, and perhaps the idea of getting him situated is a good one, but in a general sense I won't be surprised when it backfires. However, whether you like Assmussen or not, he has done a good job with this horse. Now, good horses make trainers look good, and maybe that's simply the case here, but it's imossible to criticize Assmussen's overall handling of this horse so far. He broke all the " rules " and made it work.
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#8
02-04-2008, 01:00 PM
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#9
02-04-2008, 05:22 PM
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Curlin's a beast, but Asiatic Boy is just as freaky on dirt IMO. With a successful comeback at a distance too short for him, Asiatic Boy could be the horse to beat in my eyes. I think there's very little separating Curlin, Premium Tap, and Asiatic Boy right now. Looks to be a great race.
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#10
02-04-2008, 06:14 PM
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UNC is certainly one of the best academic institutions (among public schools) in the country. As much as I detest their hoops team, she is absolutely right about that.
Where have you been kentuckyrosesinmay? I think I honestly speak for everyone on here when I say this board is a lot more.......interesting.......when you are a regular poster.
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#11
02-05-2008, 01:37 PM
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Anyhoo, wouldn't you rather have "greedy owners" racng for big purses than "greedy owners" selling the to "spendthrift breeders" who will whisk them off the track forever? What has not been noted is that Curlin may meet a tougher bunch of horses in his prep in Dubai that he would here. Honesty, which 4 allowance horses would be sacrified to Curlin could get legged up? A race for horses classified at 100+ is far more cometitive than beating up on Fair Grounds optional claimers this weekend.
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RIP Monroe.
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#12
02-05-2008, 02:12 PM
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I agree.....and I wasn't knocking them for it......I was just trying to be succinct. I have a question about the whole racing versus breeding thing with Curlin. Is it possible that Curlin is racing because there were a number of complications that made it difficult, if not impossible, for him to get a legitimate breeding deal? Whatever the answer, I'm thrilled that he's racing, but whether relevent or not, I'm not sure this is a purely magnanimous gesture.
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#13
02-05-2008, 03:23 PM
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Guys,
You're forgetting another contendor in Dubai... if he takes to stretching out- Asiatic Boy. I'm debating how much he's run against over there, but in the last year he's pretty much won everything with relative ease on the dirt. Here's an article on him, and be sure to read the last paragraph http://racing.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=43342
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Facebook- Peter May Jr. Twitter- @pmayjr You wouldn't be ballin' if your name was Spauldin' If y'all fresh to death, then I'm deceased...
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#14
02-05-2008, 04:53 PM
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I love Asiatic Boy to bits but he still has to improve alot to contend with Curlin and others.. he has the potential, but the only times hes ever faced G1 horses, he hasnt done the business (albeit on turf!)
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 #Grand
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#15
02-05-2008, 04:53 PM
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See, I'm not crazy for suggesting this. Mhmm, yeah! Thanks Pete.
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#16
02-05-2008, 06:33 PM
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His next start is the Burj Nahaar on Super Thursday (March 6th).
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