Horse of the Year candidate Curlin continued his path toward an unrevealed destination when trainer Steve Asmussen sent him to an easy five-furlong work over the Fair Grounds surface Jan. 18. The 4-year-old Smart Strikecolt went the distance in 1:04 flat on a fast track.
The recent move brought Curlin’s total for the year to three works. Coming off an Oct. 27 victory in the Breeders’ Cup Classic – Powered by Dodge (gr. I), he went four furlongs in :53.40 at Fair Grounds Jan. 6, then turned in a :51.20 effort going the same distance Jan. 12.
Asmussen has yet to speak of a potential start in 2008 for the colt, but a target has been confirmed for Curlin’s stablemate, Pyro, who will make his 3-year-old debut at Fair Grounds in the Risen Star Stakes (gr. III) Feb. 9.
The son of Pulpit, second to War Pass in the Bessemer Trust Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (gr. I) last time out, worked five furlongs in 1:03.80 at Fair Grounds Jan. 18. He is an Eclipse Award finalist for 2-year-old male.
Also on the track was the Neil Howard-trained Grasshopper, who went six furlongs in 1:13.40. The 4-year-old Dixie Unioncolt was second to Street Sense in the 2007 Travers Stakes (gr. I) and second-place finisher in his last start, the Sept. 22 Super Derby (gr. II) at Louisiana Downs.
Curlin worked five furlongs in 1:04 on Jan 18.
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