WOOOOHOOOO! CURLIN!!!

[Glimmerglass]

Interesting aside –

It appears the top notch turf runner Einstein, owned by the much tained Midnight Cry Stables, cannot effectively race in New York State. This due to MCS part owner Shirley Cunningham (still in jail) having allowed his owner’s license (for NY) lapse and has not renewed it.

In his last two starts, both in Kentucky, Einstein ran under the names of Patricia Cunningham - the wife of Shirley Cunningham - and Melissa Green, who were listed as lessees of the horse. According to New York rules, both the lessors and lessees of a horse must be licensed in New York.

So this mean [from my interpretation] that Curlin - until the transferal of the remaining 20% of ownership to someone other than Midnight Cry Stables - cannot be raced in New York State either. Thus no Saratoga or Jockey Club Gold Cup matchups with anyone until then …

[Glimmerglass]

Is this a joke? Bitching about a 128-lb weight assignment? Give me a freaking break!

DRF 06-07-08 “Curlin given 128 for Foster; Asmussen unhappy”

“It might eliminate us from running,” Asmussen said. “They” – meaning Churchill Downs – “may have outsmarted themselves again.”

Kelso must be rolling over in his grave and Exterminator is chuckling at a lightweight 128-lbs being assigned

[Drvmb1ggl3]

So why did they enter him in a handicap if they’re afraid to carry weight? Seriously, that’s what WFA races are for. It makes a mockery of the idea of an idea of handicap if they don’t assign proper penalties.

[danceronice]

Somewhere, Citation is laughing. Hard.

[miss_critic]

This thread needs more focus!!

What the hell is wrong with 128 lbs? That is only 2 more than what he carried in the KD. What babies. If they pull out of this bc of that, they will be doing themselves a lot of harm as far as history goes. As far as I am concerned, Curlin should be carrying more!

I read that they might consider putting Perfect Drift in here. While his last race was encouraging, doesn’t this seem a bit overzelous? And Einstein? This is one of the best grass horses in the country, why would they do this? How sweet it would be though, eh?

[Drvmb1ggl3]

So what exactly is Assmussen complaining about, is it the 128lbs or is it the amount of weight he is giving away to the field?
If he runs in the Prix de l’Arc, as Jackson supposedly wants him to do, he will have to carry 131lbs.

[miss_critic]

I’m not sure which it is. Good point.

Do we all agree the weight is deserverd either way?

[Kenike]

Oh give me a break :rolleyes:

[Glimmerglass]

[QUOTE=Drvmb1ggl3;3273538]
So what exactly is Assmussen complaining about, is it the 128lbs or is it the amount of weight he is giving away to the field?[/QUOTE]

It could be the latter, although I’m reading between the lines.

Churchill Downs racing secretary Ben Huffman said the weight was fair.

“He’s won the Breeders’ Cup, reeled off four in a row, took the Jockey Club, and easily beat Dubai World Cup horses,” Huffman said. “It’s a lot of weight, but he’s a lot of horse.”

Huffman said he didn’t feel pressure to conservatively assign weight to Curlin, even after Churchill Downs has heavily marketed Curlin’s expected appearance in the race in recent weeks. He said Curlin needed to be weighted appropriately to ensure participation from other horses.

Other horses under consideration for the Foster, a 1 1/8-mile dirt race, include Student Council (120 pounds), Einstein (118), Grasshopper (117), Brass Hat (116), Delightful Kiss (114), Jonesboro (114), Barcola (113), High Blues (113), Red Rock Creek (113) and Sam P. (113).

With the section in bold above I have gotten this sense that Curlin’s camp somewhat wanted almost an automatic “check for the appearance” type of deal. Having to work for his dinner being only agreeable to the Curlin crew if the race is a big one and impressive on his record - as the Arc or Arlington Million would be.

[Drvmb1ggl3]

Hell yeah it’s deserved. He’s the Number ONE ranked horse in the world, by a country mile, and he’s only giving away 15lbs to some no name horses. That’s nothing. Here’s the weights for the Foster.

Curlin 128lbs
Student Council 120lbs,
Einstein 118lbs
Grasshopper 117lbs
Brass Hat 116lbs
Delightful Kiss 114lbs
Jonesboro 114lbs
Barcola 113lbs
High Blues 113lbs
Red Rock Creek 113lbs
Sam P. 113lbs

Btw, he carried over 130lb in his prep race in Dubai.

[Texarkana]

I think Asmussen was already looking for a way out and the weight assignments can now be his (bad) excuse. I can’t see Jess Jackson backing down from the challenge, though.

[miss_critic]

Why would they want a way out? I think Assmussen is just a pansy.

As far as the BC goes, why wouldn’t they take him to a synthetic track and try Curlin out on it? Maybe do a mock race with another horse, with no media, just to see?

[Glimmerglass]

[QUOTE=miss_critic;3273620]
As far as the BC goes, why wouldn’t they take him to a synthetic track and try Curlin out on it? Maybe do a mock race with another horse, with no media, just to see?[/QUOTE]

I sure as heck would be doing that long before I put him on the surface for the first time. The same goes for grass. I distinctly recall Barclay Tagg trying three times (in training) to put Funny Cide on turf. Each time he was completely uncomfortable and uncompetitive. As such you never saw him race on the surface.

Here is a question: in the case of Curlin who has never started on turf, does he get a break (or at least some sort of consideration) on the weight assignment with his maiden turf effort? Yes, he’s impressive on dirt but as we all know that is apples and oranges with the turf.

[Drvmb1ggl3]

@Glimmerglass;3273639

I sure as heck would be doing that long before I put him on the surface for the first time. The same goes for grass. I distinctly recall Barclay Tagg trying three times (in training) to put Funny Cide on turf. Each time he was completely uncomfortable and uncompetitive. As such you never saw him race on the surface.

Here is a question: in the case of Curlin who has never started on turf, does he get a break (or at least some sort of consideration) on the weight assignment with his maiden turf effort? Yes, he’s impressive on dirt but as we all know that is apples and oranges with the turf.

I’m not sure how they would draw a ruler across that one. I doubt he would get much of a break. But then again, the weight scale in the big Turf handicaps (Sword Dancer, UN H’cap, Manhattan etc etc) is pretty minimal, usually only 5-6lbs from top to bottom.
I think it would be mire likely in would debut in a WFA race like the Million.

[miss_critic]

Maybe we should write Ass. a letter making this suggestion for a test run :lol:

[Glimmerglass]

I think we have our answer and I am reaffirmed in my belief that the Curlin camp likes to talk the talk of the old days and delivering America a great horse, blah blah but can’t walk the walk.

DRF Monday June 8

Asmussen, who watched from the frontside, said he was pleased with the breeze but added that he is not fully committed to running Curlin, the 2007 Horse of the Year, after the colt was assigned 128 pounds in the 1 1/8-mile Foster, which is set for Saturday at Churchill.

“He’s prepped for the race, but I don’t like the weights at all,” said Asmussen. “I thought 126 would have been enough.”

So they cry about starting in a $1M (bumped up just for him from $750k) Grade Grade 1 race because of an extra 2-lbs? Spectacular Bid twice set track records while carrying 130 pounds! Bud Delp didn’t cry, Harry Meyerhoff didn’t bitch about the weight, and Bid just got the job done. Come on people, stop dumbing down the logic just we can make a horse win.

[Texarkana]

Was Assmussen kicked in the head recently and lost his short term memory? Helloooooo, the horse carried 132# in his Dubai prep race while everyone else carried 117#.

You can’t tell me those horses were significantly less competitive than the likes of our current weak older dirt horse division.

I still think Asmussen is just looking for an excuse if something should go awry or they decide to aim for an “easier” spot instead. Although I’m not sure what could be much easier…

[Glimmerglass]

Looks like they’ll race in the Foster - kicking and screaming like little babies …

Courier-Journal June 10, 2008 “With dream race spoiled, Curlin back to business”

excerpt

Curlin was assigned 128 pounds for the 11/8-mile, Grade I event, which is 15 pounds heavier than several other probable entrants. It’s believed to be the highest weight given to a horse in a North American Grade I event since Skip Away carried 128 in the May 1998 Pimlico Special.

Asmussen was so miffed at the decision that on Sunday he threw doubt into whether Curlin would even run. That would have been a black eye for Churchill Downs, which added $250,000 to the Stephen Foster purse from its marketing department in a fairly transparent attempt to lure Curlin into the race.

Yesterday, after Curlin worked a half-mile in 49 seconds, Asmussen said his star would go Saturday.

“Not running would be an injustice to him,” he said. “When you look at it, we’re giving quality horses 15 pounds and it’s quite significant. But he must overcome. (His owners) didn’t put him back in training to debate weights.”

Asmussen said he thought Curlin should carry 126 pounds, which is what he toted while winning his last start, the March 29 Dubai World Cup. Curlin ran under 132 pounds in his 2008 debut, also in Dubai.

“It’s quite an impost,” Churchill Downs spokesman Darren Rogers said, “but he’s quite a horse.”

Oh cry me a river, Steve!

[City_Ponies]

Anyone know if we’re going to get TV coverage?? If so I must make myself available to have full access of TV (with the appropiate channel!)

[miss_critic]

HRTV carries Churchill. I don’t think TVG does, but somebody else can clarify. I suppose your question was about ESPN though and unless something changes, the answer is no.