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Curlin to meet only five rivals at Nad al Sheba

Curlin takes to the track at Nad al Sheba (Monica Pinheiro/Dubai Racing Club.com) In accordance with trainer Steve Asmussen's master plan, Horse of the Year CURLIN (Smart Strike) will line up in a $175,000 handicap at Nad al Sheba on Thursday. The about 1 1/4-mile event, carded as the 5TH race, will serve as his prep for the Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1) on March 29. When final declarations were released Tuesday, only five challengers were bold enough to confirm their intention of facing Curlin. None of them can claim a resume as impressive as Curlin's, but for that reason, he must shoulder the massive top weight of 132 pounds, spotting each of his opponents 15 pounds. Last seen capturing the October 27 Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) in the slop at Monmouth, Curlin has been training sharply in advance of his four-year-old debut. The strapping chestnut turned in seven works at Fair Grounds this winter, capped by a seven-furlong move in a razor-sharp 1:23 3/5 on February 12. Curlin arrived in Dubai on February 17, spent 48 hours in quarantine, and got his first feel of the Nad al Sheba surface when cantering last Wednesday. He traveled an easy half-mile in :50.50 on Saturday, to the delight of assistant trainer Scott Blasi. Regular rider Robby Albarado will make the trek to Dubai to guide Curlin from post 2. Horseman Saeed bin Suroor will send out two hopefuls, but neither of them hails from the elite Godolphin operation. Sheikh Saeed bin Mohammed al Maktoum's FAMILIAR TERRITORY (Cape Cross [Ire]) is coming off a victory in a February 14 handicap at this track and trip. Sheikh Majid bin Mohammed al Maktoum's IMPERIALISTA (Voando Baixo), the winner of the 2007 Maktoum Challenge Round 1 (UAE-G3), was most recently third in an approximately 1 1/16-mile handicap on Thursday.

Familiar Territory will break from post 3 with Kerrin McEvoy, while Imperialista has drawn post 5 with Ted Durcan.

The red-hot Mike de Kock has decided to stand his ground with ENGRUPIDO (Potrillon [Arg]). Judging by his trainer's phenomenal success rate during this Dubai International Racing Carnival, Engrupido could be poised to deliver a strong effort. Group 1-placed in his native Argentina, the five-year-old gray narrowly prevailed in a turf handicap at this distance on Friday. Wayne Lordan will be aboard as Engrupido leaves the gate from post 4.

Completing the field are English maiden winner ARQAAM (Machiavellian), who has been well beaten in both of his Dubai outings, and the South African-bred JET EXPRESS (Jet Master), who was crushed in his lone foray into Group 3 company three starts back. The pair will serve as bookends, as Arqaam has drawn the inside post with Richard Hills, and Jet Express wound up on the far outside with Royston Ffrench.

The most significant withdrawal from the field was multiple Group 3 winner Kandidate (Kabool), who clearly would have been the second most accomplished horse in the contest. Also notably choosing to fight another day was Godolphin's Italian stakes-placed Igor Protti (Opening Verse).

Curlin's race promises to overshadow the five listed stakes on the card. Two turf stakes -- the $200,000 Zabeel Mile and the $200,000 Al Quoz Sprint -- proved overwhelmingly popular and drew overflow fields. As a result, officials decided to split each event into two divisions, but each division still boasts the full, originally advertised purse.

The day's only dirt stakes, the $250,000 U.A.E. Oaks, has attracted a field of 11 fillies. The about nine-furlong affair is the latest chapter in the rivalry between bin Suroor trainees COCOA BEACH (Doneraile Court) and FIESTA LADY (Southern Halo). Godolphin's Fiesta Lady captured their first meeting in impressive style, but Princess Haya's Cocoa Beach emphatically turned the tables by 5 1/4 lengths last time out in the U.A.E. One Thousand Guineas. Durcan will ride Cocoa Beach, while Frankie Dettori will pilot Fiesta Lady.

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