Return to Home Page
|
Curlin on cruise control in Jaguar Trophy
 | |
Curlin was never challenged in his 2008 debut
(Dubai Racing Club/Monica Pinheiro) |
Never coming out of second gear, Horse of the Year CURLIN (Smart Strike)
cruised to a comfortable victory in Thursday's $175,000 Jaguar Trophy at Nad al
Sheba. In a performance as smooth as the luxury car for which the handicap was
named, the Steve Asmussen charge outclassed his five opponents and won well in
hand by 2 1/4 lengths. Beneath a motionless Robby Albarado, he completed the
about 1 1/4-mile prep for the March 29 Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1) in 2:00.60 on
the fast track, not far off Dubai Millennium's track record of 1:59.50.
"That was just what we wanted," Asmussen said. "In racing, you are
always cautiously optimistic but that's what we expected.
"The timing between the races is ideal -- he won the Jockey Club Gold
Cup (G1) over a mile and a quarter before winning the Breeders' Cup
Classic (G1) over the same trip four weeks later. That's why we've come
for this race, so everything's gone to plan so far. I haven't really
looked at what he might face in the Dubai World Cup, but we're glad to
have him in our corner."
Curlin was slightly rank in the early going, eager to run in his first start
since capturing the October 27 Breeders' Cup Classic. Albarado angled him
well off the rail and got him to settle into a tracking position, poised just
off the pacesetting Imperialista (Voando Baixo). There the powerful chestnut
remained until the stretch, when he strolled to the front. Taking no notice of
his 132-pound impost, Curlin made it look easy as he came home under wraps.
Indeed, without competition to keep him focused, the four-year-old began
sightseeing, and flicked his ears several times to investigate his new
surroundings.
|
"He is an amazing athlete and racehorse," Albarado marveled. "It is a real
honor to be associated with him and he has shown why tonight. I took him wide to
help settle him as he was a bit keen and from then I was never concerned."
 | |
Curlin is now headed for the Dubai World Cup
(Dubai Racing Club/Andrew Watkins) |
Familiar Territory (Cape Cross [Ire]) wound up best of the rest, 4 1/4
lengths clear of Jet Express (Jet Master). Next came Arqaam (Machiavellian),
Imperialista and Engrupido (Potrillon [Arg]).
Owned by Stonestreet Stables and Midnight Cry Stable, Curlin improved his
stellar record to 10-7-1-2 with $5,207,800 in earnings. In addition to his
Breeders' Cup Classic crown, he has garnered the Preakness S. (G1), Jockey Club
Gold Cup, Arkansas Derby (G2) and Rebel S. (G3). Curlin just missed to
star filly Rags to Riches (A.P. Indy) in the Belmont S. (G1), and he also
checked in third in the Kentucky Derby (G1) and Haskell Invitational S. (G1).
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 juvenile filly by
Medaglia d'Oro and a yearling filly by Saint Liam. 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).
Curlin was the star of Thursday's program, but Princess Haya's COCOA BEACH (Doneraile
Court) was impressive herself when romping by six lengths in the $250,000 U.A.E.
Oaks. Trained by Saeed bin Suroor and piloted by Ted Durcan, the Chilean-bred
filly reeled off about 1 1/8 miles in 1:49.09 to win for the sixth time in seven
career outings.
|
"They went a little slow for her to begin with, but she has a lovely attitude
and stride, and a lot of class," Durcan said of his mount.
Cocoa Beach took her first four starts in her homeland,
including a trio of Group 3 events. She suffered her only career loss in her
Dubai debut, finishing second in a conditions race on January 17. Cocoa Beach
added blinkers next time out in the U.A.E. One Thousand Guineas and rebounded in
style, rolling to a 5 1/4-length conquest. The dark bay became just the third
filly to complete the U.A.E. Oaks-One Thousand Guineas double and has now bankrolled
$335,661.
Nad al Sheba hosted four listed events in addition to the Oaks. MUTAMARRES
(Green Desert) captured the first division of the $200,000 Al Quoz Sprint by 2
3/4 lengths, finishing about six furlongs in 1:12.81 on the good turf to earn
his first stakes victory. The second division featured a much tighter finish,
with INSTANT RECALL (Indian Ridge) scraping home by a short head in a final time
of 1:13.09, likewise notching his first stakes tally.
The $200,000 Zabeel Mile was also run in two divisions. In the first, WISE
DENNIS (Polar Falcon) prevailed in a photo-finish after a stirring duel with
Dijeerr (Danzig), stopping the teletimer in 1:39.27 for about one mile on the
grass. The margin in the second division was more emphatic, as THIRD SET (Royal
Applause [GB]) surged to a 1 1/2-length decision in 1:39.63.
Send this article to a friend
|
|
