Curlin Works To Break Record In The Jockey Glub Gold Cup September 27 at Belmont Park
The 2007 Breeders’ Cup Classic and reigning Horse of the Year Curlin put in his final workout before attempting to become the first American race horse to break the $10 million mark in Saturday’s $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup Invitational at Belmont Park.
Curlin covered a half mile in an easy 51.85 seconds Monday over the Oklahoma training track at Saratoga Race Course, a worked called “perfect” by Scott Blasi, the assistant to Curlin race horse trainer Steve Asmussen.
“It was his normal work before he runs,” assistant race horse trainer Scott Blasi said. “He got over the ground really well and we are all excited about Saturday.”
The 4-year-old Curlin enters the 1-mile Gold Cup with earnings of $9,796,800. Two-time Horse of the Year Cigar has the record of $9,999,815, which has stood for 12 years. The Jockey Club Gold Cup winner’s purse of $450,000 on Saturday would vault Curlin past Cigar with total earnings of $10,246,800.
Expected to challenge Curlin as he goes for a second straight win in the Jockey Club Gold Cup are Travers runner-up Mambo in Seattle, Suburban winner Frost Giant, Timber Reserve, Angliana, either A. P. Arrow or Ravel (both trained by Todd Pletcher) and Wanderin Boy, third to Curlin in the Woodward on August 30.
Mambo in Seattle could be a formidable opponent. Beaten a nose by Colonel John in the Travers Stakes, the 3-year-old colt receives a four-pound weight allowance from the older horses in the Jockey Club Gold Cup. Mambo in Seattle worked a half-mile in 49.64 at Belmont Park on Monday.
With jockey Robby Albarado committed to ride Curlin, Hall of Fame jockey Edgar Prado will be aboard Mambo in Seattle.
“We understand what a tall order it is to go against a champion like Curlin,” Mambo in Seattle race horse trainer Neil Howard said. “And it is always a big step up when a 3-year-old goes up against older horses.”
Tags: A.P. Arrow, Angliana, Curlin, Frost Giant, Mambo in Seattle, Ravel, Timber Reserve, Wanderin Boy
"Curlin Works To Break Record In The Jockey Glub Gold Cup September 27 at Belmont Park" was posted on 22 September 2008 8:25 PM under Horse Racing News, Horses, Race Tracks, Stakes Races
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