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Curlin drills six furlongs at Churchill

Curlin, a convincing Dubai World Cup winner, is being pointed toward a possible start in the Stephen Foster on June 14  (Frank Sorge/Horsephotos.com)
Memorial Day was a working holiday for Horse of the Year CURLIN (Smart Strike), who drilled six furlongs in 1:12 1/5 on the fast track at Churchill Downs. With regular exercise rider Carlos Rosas in the saddle, the Steve Asmussen charge worked in company with his stakes-winning stablemate FORTY GRAMS (Distorted Humor). Curlin finished on even terms with Forty Grams, who posted the same time.

These were the only six-furlong moves on the Monday morning worktab at the Louisville, Kentucky, track.

Asmussen was at Churchill to watch the work, and then boarded a flight to Texas to saddle his stable's multiple entries on Lone Star Million Day at Lone Star Park.

"I think he went well," Asmussen said. "He wasn't as smooth as he is when he's perfect, but he went really well."

Curlin was posting his fourth published work since his smashing triumph in the Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1) on March 29. The power-packed chestnut returned to serious training with an easy half-mile move on May 5, and he followed up with five-furlong works on May 12 and 19.

The $750,000 Stephen Foster H. (G1) on June 14 at Churchill Downs has been mentioned by Stonestreet Stable's Jess Jackson as the likely next start for Curlin, but that is not yet the colt's definite target.

Curlin boasts a record of 11-8-1-2, including victories in last year's Breeders' Cup Classic (G1), Preakness (G1) and Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1). The four-year-old has earned $8,807,800.


 


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