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Asmussen: Curlin's 'Options are Open'
Date Posted: July 13, 2008
Last Updated: July 15, 2008

Asmussen: Curlin's 'Options are Open'
Curlin (yellow silks) finishes second to Red Rocks in the July 12 Man o'War (gr. IT) at Belmont Park.
Photo: Coglianese Photos
(from Belmont Park notes)
Reigning Horse of the Year Curlin came out of his second-place finish to Red Rocks in Belmont Park's Man o’War Stakes (gr. IT) July 12 in good order and was on his way to Saratoga the following morning.

The Man o’War was Curlin’s first start on turf.

“Physically, he came out of the race great,” reported trainer Steve Asmussen.

The trainer said that he would evaluate the colt during the weeks ahead and that at this point, he was considering “all options.”

“There is no time frame. The evaluation will be continual,” said Asmussen. “Our options are open.”

Jess Jackson, owner of Stonestreet Farm, said earlier that those options could include another start on turf, which if successful, could send Curlin to France’s Longchamp Race Course for the Prix Foy (Fr-I) on Sept. 14 and the Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe (Fr-I) on Oct. 5. He also mentioned the Tattersalls Millions Irish Champion Stakes (Ire-I) on Sept. 6 at Leopardstown as a possibility.

“We know what he can do on dirt, so we can always go back,” Jackson said. “We’ll need to see how he rebounds from this race, and then I’ll talk to Steve.”

Copyright © 2008 The Blood-Horse, Inc. All Rights Reserved.


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