Curlin just got past Street Sense a jump before the wire (Michael J. Marten/Horsephotos.com)

CURLIN (Smart Strike) came into the Kentucky Derby (G1) two weeks ago undefeated from three starts, and encountered for the first time adversity and more trouble than he could overcome. Taking that race as a learning experience, the massive chestnut managed to overcome a stumbling start and being passed by Derby hero Street Sense (Street Cry [Ire]) to capture Saturday's $1 million Preakness S. (G1) by a gutsy head.

Curlin almost went to his knees when the gates opened, but jockey Robby Albarado, who had already been involved in a spill earlier in the day, kept his cool and helped his mount to regroup and keep up with the field. Settling into sixth along the backstretch while racing two wide off the rail, the Steve Asmussen-trained sophomore didn't appear a winner early, but began making up ground with huge strides, passing horses on the outside and swinging into the stretch full of run.

Street Sense and Calvin Borel, in the meantime, were not far behind and suddenly slingshotted through on the inside of Curlin to take over and open up on the field. It wasn't to be, though, as Curlin pinned his ears, switched leads, dug in and re-rallied on the outside. With both the wire and Curlin getting closer, Borel urged Street Sense on in the second jewel of the Triple Crown, but couldn't hold off the talented chestnut, who pushed his head in front just as the camera flashed.

"Horses like Curlin put you in this race," said Asmussen who, along with Albarado, picked up his first Triple Crown victory. "It is the same approach. You put them where they belong. This horse is good enough for this, and this is where he belongs."

Curlin (blue/black cap) circled the field on his way to Preakness glory (Patrick Tyrrell/Horsephotos.com)

"Heartbreaking, that's what it was. We only needed a nose," Street Sense's conditioner said. "He beat us at the wire, and that's where they take the picture. I told (owner) Jim (Tafel) we're home free. Then I saw Curlin and I said, wait a minute. I saw Curlin was really moving. When I saw it, I thought we just got nailed. I'd have taken a dead heat.

"I think Robby rode Curlin great and I think Steve Asmussen did a hell of a job on him. We don't know how good this horse is. We have two good horses here; we might have an Alydar-Affirmed thing. Hard Spun, we can't get rid of him either. We keep trying."

Hard Spun (Danzig) raced in third early, about four lengths lengths behind the quick splits of :22 4/5 and :45 3/5 set by Xchanger (Exchange Rate), before taking over through six furlongs in a blistering 1:09 4/5. Once again, the game bay just couldn't hold on as the top two surged past, ending up four lengths back of Street Sense in third. Next under the line were C P West (Came Home), Circular Quay (Thunder Gulch), King of the Roxy (Littleexpectations), Mint Slewlep (Slew City Slew), Xchanger and Flying First Class (Perfect Mandate).

Curlin and Street Sense raced nip and tuck to the line (Debra Kral/Horsephotos.com)

Curlin began his career in February with trainer Helen Pitts, breaking his maiden by 12 3/4 lengths at Gulfstream Park, before being privately purchased for a reported $3.5 million and transferred to Asmussen. Making his first start for that barn in the Rebel S. (G3) at Oaklawn Park, he posted an easy 5 1/4-length score and returned to record a 10 1/2-length victory in the Arkansas Derby (G2) at that same track. Forced to steady at the beginning of the Derby next out, Curlin was compelled to race in between horses before coming five wide down the stretch to finish third. Beating both of the horses who were in front on that day, the three-year-old moved his record to 5-4-0-1 and has now amassed $1,602,800 in lifetime earnings.

Bred in Kentucky by Fares Farm Inc., Curlin sold for $57,000 as a Keeneland September yearling. He is the first stakes winner out of the unraced Sherriff's Deputy (Deputy Minister), who has since produced an unnamed yearling filly by Medaglia d'Oro. This is the same family as 1997 champion two-year-old filly and Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) victress Countess Diana (Deerhound) as well as the ill-fated multiple Grade 1-winning Exogenous (Unbridled).