Curlin scheduled for 'serious' work on Pro-Ride
Reigning Horse of the Year CURLIN (Smart Strike) will get serious at Santa Anita Park this Monday, as he will work five furlongs over Santa Anita's Pro-Ride between races. The work, which will be performed in company with another Steve Asmussen trainee, has been scheduled between the 4TH and 5TH races. There will be special Columbus Day racing at Oak Tree on Monday and Curlin's work is expected to take place at approximately 2:45 p.m. (PDT). Curlin arrived at Santa Anita the day after winning the September 27 Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) going 1 1/4 miles at Belmont Park. He had his first workout since that race this past Monday, drilling a half mile in 52.80, breezing. "His serious work here at Santa Anita will be on Monday," assistant trainer Scott Blasi said. "It'll be a normal five-eighths work. We're not looking for anything real fast, but it'll be done the way we do things in company."
This move could give Curlin's connections a better indication of how he would handle the track in the October 25 Breeders' Cup Classic (G1). Pre-entries for the Breeders' Cup races will be taken on Tuesday. "Our biggest concern with Curlin is the difference in the way the track plays between morning and afternoon," Blasi explained. "This is going to be a smooth five-eighths (mile) in company. We'll come on the track up in the quarter-mile chute and just jog-off from there and break-off at the five-eighths pole. He'll be working with another horse of ours named Hawaii Calls (Fusaichi Pegasus)."
|
Beyond Monday's drill, Blasi said, "Everything else with his training will be
routine. That's what we're looking for right now."
Blasi added that Curlin will be handled by his regular exercise rider Carlos
Rosas, and that Hawaii Calls would "most likely have a jock." He noted that his intention for Curlin on Monday is to exit Santa Anita's
one-mile oval the same way he enters, in the quarter-mile chute at the top of
the stretch.
As was the case this past Monday, Asmussen is expected to fly in from his
Texas base to oversee Curlin's work.
"Everything we have here for the Breeders'
Cup will breeze on Monday," Blasi said. "I expect Steve will fly in Sunday
evening and be here Monday morning to watch all these horses go."
Among those scheduled to work Monday morning for Asmussen are Grade 2 hero
PYRO (Pulpit) and multiple Grade 1 winner STUDENT COUNCIL (Kingmambo).
Authors
Categories
FEATURED PRODUCTS
Daily Selections
Full racecard analysis/expert picks for major tracks from America's top handicappers.
Buy Nowe-ponies Picks
E-Ponies computer-based figures have been around since 1997. Using an algorithm written by the business owner and handicapper, Liam Durbin, and powered by BRIS data files, E-Ponies offers a unique, fact-based, dispassionate analysis of every horse in every race, assigning scores for speed, class, form, connections, and more. Forget which jockey owes you money! What does the data say!
Buy NowBruno With the Works
Bruno De Julio & team bring 30+ yrs experience observing racehorses to Brisnet with valuable insight into their morning routines & chances for success in the afternoons.
Buy NowValue Plays AI by Predicteform
Full race card program with easy-to-use win chances and contender classifications for every runner plus analysis of the Best Bet, Live Longshot, and Wagering Suggestions for every race.
Buy NowADVERTISEMENT