Horse of the Year Curlin emerged from his runner-up finish in the Man o’ War Stakes (G1) on Saturday at Belmont Park in good order, trainer Steve Asmussen said.
Making his first start on grass, Curlin finished two lengths behind 2006 John Deere Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) winner Red Rocks (Ire) in the 1 3/8-mile Man o’ War. Curlin will resume training at Saratoga Race Course and was shipped to the Saratoga Springs, New York, track on Sunday.
“Physically, he came out of the race great,” Asmussen said.
Asmussen plans to evaluate Curlin throughout the week. At this point, the trainer said he is considering “all options” for the Smart Strike colt, a career earner of $9,496,800 who entered the Man o’ War with five-straight wins, including a victory in the Stephen Foster Handicap (G1) in his previous start on June 14 at Churchill Downs.
Asmussen and majority owner Jess Jackson of Stonestreet Stables previously expressed an interest in running Curlin in the $6,243,800 Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (Fr-G1), the world’s most lucrative turf race, on October 5 at Longchamp.
“There is no time frame—the evaluation will be continual,” Asmussen said. “Our options are open.”
Jackson said Curlin could be sent to France to make his next start on turf in the Qatar Prix Foy (Fr-G2), a 2,400-meter (11.93-furlong) turf race on September 14 at Longchamp. He also mentioned the Tattersalls Millions Irish Champion Stakes (Ire-G1), a 1/14-mile turf race on September 6 at Leopardstown, as a possibility.作者:
Running 時間: 17/7/2008 12:08 PM
Jackson said Curlin could be sent to France to make his next start on turf in the Qatar Prix Foy (Fr-G2), a 2,400-meter (11.93-furlong) turf race on September 14 at Longchamp. He also mentioned the Tattersalls Millions Irish Champion Stakes (Ire-G1), a 1/14-mile turf race on September 6 at Leopardstown, as a possibility.
