Stephen Foster H. (gr. I)
(gr. I , 9f ,)
CURLIN
(CH h,
128
lb) $589,000
Smart Strike —Sherriff's Deputy , by
Deputy Minister
B—Fares Farm Inc,
KY.;
O—Stonestreet Stables LLC and Midnight Cry Stables;
T—Steven M. Asmussen
Einstein (BRZ)
(DK B/ h,
118
lb) $190,000
Spend a Buck —Gay Charm (BRZ) , by
Ghadeer (FR)
B—Fazenda Mondesir,
BRZ.;
O—Cunningham, Patricia and Green, Lessee, Melissa;
T—Helen Pitts
Barcola
(CH g,
115
lb) $95,000
Old Trieste —Myrtle Beach , by
Kingmambo
B—Stonerside Stable,
KY.;
O—J. Paul Reddam;
T—Mark A. Hennig
Margins: 4¼, nose, 3½. Others: Grasshopper 117($47,500) , Brass Hat 116($28,500) , Jonesboro 117($10,000) , Delightful Kiss 114($10,000) , Sam P. 117($10,000) , High Blues 117($10,000) , Red Rock Creek 113($10,000) . Winning Jockey, Robby Albarado.
Reigning Horse of the Year Curlin continued to reward his connections for keeping him in training as he cruised to a 41Ú4-length victory over Einstein in the Stephen Foster Handicap (gr. I) at Churchill Downs June 14.
The 4-year-old Smart Strike colt was making his first start since taking the March 29 Emirates Airline Dubai World Cup (UAE-I) and his first North American start since winning the BreedersÕ Cup Classic Ð Powered by Dodge (gr. I) last October. He is owned by Jess JacksonÕs Stonestreet Stables and Midnight Cry Stables.
ÒItÕs such an honor to be involved with this horseÑhe is such a beautiful animal,Ó said trainer Steve Asmussen. ÒYou are very fortunate to be involved with this sport to begin with, let alone to have an animal as special as he is.Ó
Curlin, who has earnings of almost $9.4 million, has won nine of 12 career starts and has never been worse than third. In addition to his victory in the BreedersÕ Cup Classic, Curlin earned the titles of Horse of the Year and champion 3-year-old male off his wins in the Preakness Stakes (gr. I), Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes (gr. I), Arkansas Derby (gr. II), and Rebel Stakes (gr. III).
The chestnut colt did not race until February 2007, and his three losses came last year in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands, Belmont Stakes, and Haskell Invitational Stakes (all gr. I).
CurlinÕs ownership has been almost as interesting as the coltÕs career. Trainer Ken McPeek bought the colt for $57,000 at the 2005 Keeneland September yearling sale on behalf of Bill Gallion and Shirley CunninghamÕs Midnight Cry Stables. He was consigned by Eaton Sales, agent.
After Curlin won impressively in his first start, majority interest in him was sold to Jackson, Satish and Anne SananÕs Padua Stables, and George Bolton. Jackson has since bought out the other new partners and owns 80% of Curlin, while Midnight Cry owns 20%.
Fares Farm bred Curlin in Kentucky out of the unraced Deputy Minister mare SherriffÕs Deputy. Other grade I winners to be found in CurlinÕs female family include Countess Diana and Exogenous. Countess Diana was the 1997 champion 2-year-old filly.
Curlin is the first stakes winner out of 14-year-old SherriffÕs Deputy. The bay mare is also the dam of a yearling Saint Liam filly.
SherriffÕs Deputy was barren to Buddha for 2005, her 2006 filly by Medgalia dÕOro had to be euthanized, and she was barren to Smart Strike for 2008. She is currently in foal and is carrying a full sibling to Curlin.
Smart Strike is the sire of 53 stakes winners including additional 2008 added-money winners Communique (gr. IIIT) and Bluehard. The 16-year-old son of Mr. Prospector stands at Will FarishÕs LaneÕs End Farm near Versailles, Ky., for a fee of $150,000.ÑA.H.D.
