Curlin Back at Churchill Downs
Reigning Horse of the Year Curlin returned to Churchill Downs Oct. 27 following a flight from southern California and the Breeders' Cup World Championships at Oak Tree at Santa Anita.
Steve Asmussen
News, Articles, Videos and other content about Steve Asmussen
Magna Graduate Tops Ack Ack Field
Magna Graduate, a multiple graded stakes winner who has amassed nearly $2.2 million in career earnings, will look to snap a losing streak as he faces five rivals in the $100,000-added Ack Ack Handicap (gr. III), the featured event on the opening day of Churchill Downs Oct. 26-Nov. 29 Fall Meet.
Favorite Curlin Draws Post 9 in Classic
Curlin, the heavy favorite at 7-5 in the Breeders' Cup Classic, drew post nine against 11 other rivals. The race will be run Oct. 25.
J Be K Out of Breeders' Cup Sprint
J Be K is out of the Oct. 25 Sentient Flight Group Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I) at Santa Anita, according to Sobhy Sonbol, racing manager for Ahmed Zayat's Zayat Stables.
Curlin, Stablemates in Classic Preps
On a foggy, overcast morning Oct. 20 at Santa Anita Park, trainer Steve Asmussen worked three of his star stablemates, including Horse of the Year Curlin, who will contend against one another in the Oct. 25 Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I).
Grade II Winner Zanjero Retired
Winchell Thoroughbreds has retired grade II winner Zanjero. Plans for the 2009 breeding season have not been finalized.
Raven Run: Rated Fiesty Could be Tough
- By Jason Shandler
- News, Racing, Kentucky
Tough racing luck has kept Rated Fiesty from maintaining the undefeated streak she enjoyed as a juvenile. The daughter of Exchange Rate, owned by Heiligbrodt Racing Stable and JMJ Racing Stable, tries again to reach the winner's circle for the first time this season Oct. 18 when she faces a dozen 3-year-old fillies in the $300,000 Lexus Raven Run Stakes (gr. II) at Keeneland.
Curlin Works Toward Classic Start
Curlin took another step closer to the Oct. 25 Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) when he executed a flawless workout between races at Santa Anita Oct. 13. With regular exercise rider Carlos Rosas aboard and in company with Hawaii Calls, Curlin traveled five furlongs in :59.11, galloping out in 1:12.14.
Magna Graduate to Stand At Darby Dan
Magna Graduate, Elisabeth Alexander's multiple graded stakes-winning son of Honor Grades, will stand at Darby Dan Farm near Lexington upon the completion of his racing career, it was announced Oct. 10.
Haskin's Cup Countdown: A Time for Kudos
Now that we're in the eye of the Breeders' Cup storm, with the deluge of preps behind us and the main event only two weeks away, this is the perfect time to recognize a trainer and a horse whose accomplishments may have gone overlooked - Steve Asmussen and Red Giant.
Curlin, Student Council Work at SA
With trainer Steve Asmussen looking on, Curlin worked over the Pro-Ride synthetic surface at Santa Anita early the morning of Oct. 6. The trainer, who has made no secret of the fact that he prefers dirt over synthetic surfaces, said that he could not make any decision about Santa Anita's new surface on the basis of just one work.
Curlin's Gold Cup Triumph Makes History
Curlin made racing history by winning the $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup Invitational (gr.I) at Belmont Park in New York Sept. 27. Curlin's victory, which was worth $450,000, made the colt the richest North American-based Thoroughbred of all-time and the first to vault past the $10-million mark.
Hawthorne Gold Cup: Fairbanks Wants More
Fairbanks, who enters off a resounding stakes victory at Saratoga last month, heads a field of seven older horses in the $500,000 Hawthorne Gold Cup Handicap (gr. II) Sept. 27, all of them hoping to establish themselves as a Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) contender.
Curlin 'Perfect' in Work for Gold Cup
Horse of the Year Curlin had a "perfect" workout Sept. 22 in his final move before attempting to become the first American racehorse to break the $10-million mark in the $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup Invitational (gr. I) at Belmont Park Sept. 27.
Relaxed Mood at Curlin's Saratoga Barn
It was a mellow Sunday morning at trainer Steve Asmussen's barn at Saratoga Race Course following champion Curlin's 1 1/4-length victory over Past the Point in the Woodward Stakes (gr. I) on Aug. 31.
Ontario-bred Bonuses May Boost Sale
The Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society yearling sale is hoping to get a boost from new bonuses offered at Woodbine to Ontario-bred runners. The purse bonuses are attracting new buyers to the sale, like top U.S. trainer Steve Asmussen.
Adriano Favored in Wide-Open Kent Stakes
- By Jason Shandler
- News, Racing
Three of the top four finishers in the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes (gr. IIT) will meet again Aug. 30, this time in the $500,000 Kent Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Delaware Park.
Exercise Rider Parker Buckley Dies
- By Claire Novak
- News
Former jockey Parker Buckley, an exercise rider for trainer Steve Asmussen, died Aug. 19 at Albany Medical Center in Albany, N.Y., following an Aug. 18 accident on the Oklahoma training track at Saratoga Race Course.
Exercise Rider Buckley Critical
Parker Buckley, a former jockey who was working as an exercise rider for trainer Steve Asmussen, is in critical condition following an Aug. 18 accident at Saratoga's Oklahoma training track.
Curlin Has Easy Work at the Spa
Horse of the Year Curlin worked five furlongs in an easy 1:02.72 at Saratoga Aug. 4.
Claiming Crown Returns to Canterbury
- By Jason Shandler
- News, Racing
Robert Cole Jr.'s Coyoteshighestcall, a 6-year-old son of Regal Humor who has set two track records in the last 10 months, highlights a field of nine of the $150,000 Claiming Crown Jewel, the feature of the 10th annual Claiming Crown to be held Aug. 2 at Canterbury Park in Shakopee, Minnesota.
Student Council Eyes Pacific Classic
Millennium Farms' Student Council, second in the July 26 Whitney Handicap (gr. I) at Saratoga, is preparing to defend his title in the $1-million Pacific Classic (gr. I) on Aug. 24 at Del Mar in California.
Lone Star Park Reports Mixed Numbers
Lone Star Park said it had a 3.7% decline in all-sources handle for its meet that ended July 27, while reporting increases in attendance.
Smarty Jones Has First Winner in U.S.
- By Steve Haskin
- News, Racing, Breeding
Nine days after having his first 2-year-old winner in Puerto Rico, Smarty Jones registered his first winner in the United States when Zayat Stables' Keefer broke his maiden in his first start at Monmouth Park July 20.
Curlin Headed to Belmont for Man o' War
Horse of the Year Curlin will make his turf debut in the $500,000 Man o' War Stakes (gr. IT) July 12, trainer Steve Asmussen said Tuesday.
Lawyer: Asmussen to Fight Drug Positive
Trainer Steve Asmussen was notified June 26 that a horse in his care tested positive for the Class 2 substance lidocaine following a May 10 maiden special weight race at Lone Star Park, and his lawyer said Asmussen would fight the charge.
Pyro's Heat Re-Found in Northern Dancer
- By Evan Hammonds
- News, Racing, Kentucky
Pyro's form of old returned June 14 at Churchill Downs as the son of Pulpit powered to a 1 3/4-length win over five fellow 3-year-olds in the Northern Dancer Stakes (gr. III). The Steve Asmussen-trained colt covered the 1 1/16 miles of the $190,925 race in 1:43.53.
Curlin Gears Up for Stephen Foster
Stonestreet Stable and Midnight Cry Stable's Curlin dazzled onlookers with a strong work at Churchill Downs June 2 as the reigning Horse of the Year tuned up for planned run in the $750,000-added Stephen Foster Handicap (gr. I) June 14.
Scollay Hired as KY Medical Director
- By Ron Mitchell
- News, Kentucky
The Kentucky Horse Racing Authority announced May 19 that Dr. Mary Scollay has been appointed to the new position of equine medical director.
Student Council Grinds Out 'Special' Win
- By Tom LaMarra
- News, Racing
Millennium Farms' Student Council, who hadn't hit the board in four starts since his victory in the Hawthorne Gold Cup (gr. II) last September, rallied from off the pace in the mud to win the grade I Pimlico Special May 16 at Pimlico Race Course.
Cuvee's First Winner Comes at Lone Star
Cuvee's first winner in the United States came on May 8 at Lone Star Park when his first-crop 2-year-old colt, Border Cuvee, defeated a maiden field in his racing debut.
Presque Isle Ready for Second Season
Live Thoroughbred racing will return to the Erie, Pa., area May 9 when Presque Isle Downs commences its 2008 meet. Presque Isle's 100-day season will extend through Sept. 27, with a daily post time of 5:30 p.m. EDT.
Asmussen Aims for Sixth Ky. Stakes Win
The Kentucky Stakes (gr. III) for 2-year-olds has been the exclusive property of trainer Steve Asmussen for the past five years. Heiligbrodt Racing Stable's Merkel will attempt to run the string to six May 1, when he faces seven foes in the $150,000, five-furlong race. A son of Forest Wildcat, Merkel will break from the rail under Shaun Bridgmohan. Asmussen scored in this race with Posse (2002), Cuvee (2003), Lunarpal (2004), Datrick (2006), and Rated Fiesty (2007), with all but Cuvee being owned by Heiligbrodt.
Four Graded Winners Contest Derby Trial
Kinsman Stable's Majestic Warrior, winner of the Hopeful Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga last summer in his second career start, heads a field of 10 3-year-olds entered in the 84th running of the $100,000-added Derby Trial at Churchill Downs April 26.
Pyro Works Six Furlongs in...Who Knows?
If you were looking for a sign that Pyro has bounced out of his Toyota Blue Grass (gr. I) fiasco in top shape and is back to being the Pyro of old, you certainly didn't get it Monday morning when the colt worked six furlongs in fog so thick it wasn't able to be timed by the Keeneland clockers.
Curlin Back to Work after Dubai Trip
Nearly two weeks after returning to the United States following his record victory in the $6 million Dubai World Cup (UAE-I), reigning Horse of the Year Curlin resumed work April 21 with a short breeze at Keeneland through a thick curtain of fog.
Fairbanks Favored in Bill Hartack 'Cap
Team Valor International's Fairbanks has not won in more than a year, but is still the horse to beat April 19 when he takes on four geldings in the inaugural $200,000 Bill Hartack Memorial Handicap (gr. III) at Hawthorne Race Course.
Fantasy: Eight Belles Scores Another Win
Eight Belles continued her quest to become the best 3-year-old filly in the nation, as the daughter of Unbridled's Song overcame a poor start to win by three-quarters of a length in the $250,000 Fantasy Stakes (gr. II) April 6 at Oaklawn Park, her third consecutive stakes triumph.
J Be K Dominant in Bay Shore Romp
Talented sprinter J Be K made it a perfect three-for-three around one turn, as the 3-year-old Silver Deputy colt easily put away six rivals to win the $150,000 Bay Shore Stakes (gr. III) by five lengths April 5 at Aqueduct.
Eight Belles Faces Three in Fantasy
Though Larry Jones was tempted to run his ultra-talented 3-year-old filly Eight Belles against the boys in the $1-million Arkansas Derby (gr. II) April 12, the trainer has decided to take the safer route, and instead will line up the daughter of Unbridled's Song in the $250,000 Fantasy Stakes (gr. II) April 6 at Oaklawn Park.
Ahead of Her Time Euthanized
Heiligbrodt Racing Stable's 4-year-old filly Ahead of Her Time, who was named Louisiana's 2007 champion 3-year-old filly, recently fractured a sesamoid during a morning training session and was euthanized.
Morning Line Goes to Dubai: Sunday Wrap
Together, trainer Steve Asmussen, jockey Robby Albarado and owner Jess Jackson have won more than 8,000 races -- but none even remotely like the Dubai World Cup (UAE-I).
HRTV to Telecast Dubai World Cup Day
HorseRacing TV will provide live coverage of Thoroughbred racing's richest day when it presents Dubai World Cup Day from Nad Al Sheba Racecourse in the United Arab Emirates on March 29.
Pyro 'Excellent' in Five-Furlong Work
Winchell Thoroughbreds' Pyro, early favorite for the Toyota Blue Grass (gr. I), worked five furlongs in 1:02 2/5 the morning of March 24 over Keeneland's main Polytrack surface.
Pyro Had the Look of a Winner Early On
It's been said that special Thoroughbreds have a certain look and feel about them that is different than your average horse. Pyro is proof.
Pyro Gallops After Arriving at Keeneland
Winchell Thoroughbreds' Pyro, likely favorite for Keeneland's $750,000 Toyota Blue Grass (gr. I) April 12, stretched his legs in an easy mile gallop March 20 over the main Polytrack.
KTM Award to Leparoux, Asmussen, Ramseys
Jockey Julien Leparoux and owners Ken and Sarah Ramsey were repeat winners as leading jockey and owner, while Steve Asmussen moved back atop the trainer rankings in the 18th Kentucky Thoroughbred Media Awards, which are presented annually to Kentucky's statistical leaders in racing.
Asmussen Stablemates to Run in La. Derby
With some important Triple Crown prep races on tap for the weekend of March 8, many trainers are looking for victories that could bring them closer to stamping their contenders' tickets for the first Saturday in May.
Indian Blessing Favorite in FG Oaks
Eclipse Award winner Indian Blessing and archrival Proud Spell match strides for a third time in the $400,000 Fair Grounds Oaks (gr. II) at Fair Grounds March 8.
Indian Blessing Tops Kentucky Oaks Noms
Hal and Patti Earnhardt's unbeaten Indian Blessing, the champion 2-year-old filly of 2007, and winner of the $2 million Grey Goose Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I), tops a roster of 165 3-year-old fillies nominated to compete in the 134th running of the $500,000 Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) at Churchill Downs on Friday, May 2.
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