Evidently they haven’t watched him pull up after his gallops. There maybe a reason he is working so slow. I hope the best for Curlin and I hope he blows them away in Dubai, but I will need to see a better way of going before I go to the window. He is a beautiful horse and looks fabulous though. I was very impressed, although I don’t think a lot of Steve’s personality sometimes, that he shared Curlins cash from the Breeders Cup with his employees. All I can say is ‘Go Curllin, Good Luck!’
Per the TB Times Curlin workout 6F in a swift1:13 today (Wed 1-30)
As to what is next the Dubai World Cup in March is seemingly not a slam dunk:
NO Times-Picayune 1-29-08 “Fair Grounds trying to get Curlin to race here”
excerpt
Enhancements that the Fair Grounds and CDI might offer are purse increases for the Mineshaft Handicap and/or New Orleans Handicap; a bonus for winning a series of races, such as the Mineshaft, New Orleans Handicap and Stephen Foster at Churchill Downs; or a combination of purse increases and a bonus for a series sweep.
Similar enhancements have been offered by other tracks. In 1985, for example, Spend a Buck won a $2 million bonus for sweeping the Cherry Hill Mile, Garden State Stakes, Kentucky Derby and Jersey Derby. The bonus lured the Kentucky Derby winner to Garden State Park, site of the other three races. Spend a Buck ran in the Jersey Derby instead of the Preakness.
Monmouth Park raised the purse of the Haskell in 1987 to get a dream race involving Alysheba, Bet Twice and Lost Code. Monmouth increased both the purse and the distance of the Iselin Handicap in 1998 to lure Skip Away. Last year, Louisiana Downs offered to raise the Super Derby purse if any of the winners of Triple Crown races would show up. None did.
Curlin is among 16 horses nominated to the Mineshaft, a $150,000 Grade III race for older horses to be run Feb. 9. Entries will be taken Monday.
The New Orleans Handicap is a $500,000 Grade II race for older horses to be run March 8. Nominations for that race close Feb. 23.
A bit obvious (as the race is in three days) but unlike Invasor - Curlin has been confirmed as skipping the Grade 1 Donn Handicap
I would personally like to see Curlin do Dubai.
I’d like to see him go to Dubai, too…but only if he’s really ready.
Interesting article you posted a few days ago, Glimmer.
Skipping US races …
BloodHorse 2-4-08 “Curlin Going to Dubai World Cup”
Asmussen confirmed Feb. 4 the plan is to race Curlin Feb. 28 in a $175,000 race at 2,000 meters (the same distance as the World Cup–about 1 1/4 miles) at Nad Al Sheba in the hope it will set him up for the big race.
So he’ll do a prep race in Dubai (28th Feb 2008) and provided that works out fine then he’ll remain in Dubai for the World Cup (29th March 2008) during the Dubai International Racing Carnival.
thanks, Glimmer. Very, very interesting. I’m anxious to see how he does
Curlin ships off to Dubai this Friday (2/15) - and he’s looking good per reports and his last workout today:
DRF 2-12-08 “Curlin in tip-top shape for Dubai trip”
Curlin’s seven-furlong drill was timed in an eye-popping 1:23.60. Curlin was the only horse to work the distance, and neither were there any six-furlong breezes during the morning, but for some perspective, the fastest half-mile work of the day went in 49.20 seconds, so the track was by no means fast. Assistant trainer Scott Blasi said he timed Curlin galloping out one mile in 1:37.40, and 1 1/8 miles in 1:51 and change.
“Only an extraordinary horse could do what he did, but we needed a solid work in him before we shipped over,” Blasi said. “He’s in great physical condition.”
Curlin will fly from New Orleans to Miami on Friday morning. He then will spend the night in Asmussen’s barn at Gulfstream Park before leaving Saturday for Dubai, where he will land mid-morning on Sunday.
I have a friend in Dubai (working at the Racing Carnival) who has promised to spy on him for me. I’ll report whatever I hear!
Oh, Linny, you’re so wonderful!
As indicated he’s at Gulfstream Park right now, traveling with one companion, and will be wheels up for the UK and then Dubai by this time tomorrow.
2/15/08 “Curlin at Gulfstream Before Dubai”
arrived at Gulfstream Park Feb. 15 after taking a Tex Sutton charter flight from Fair Grounds race course in New Orleans, La. The Smart Strike colt will spend the night with trainer Steve Asmussen’s south Florida division before proceeding to Dubai Feb. 16.
Curlin’s only equine travel partner on the Tex Sutton charter was Poncho, the pony belonging to assistant trainer Scott Blasi. Blasi and Poncho will accompany Curlin on the flight to Dubai, with a stopover at Stanstead Airport in England before a final seven or eight-hour flight to their ultimate destination.
“We had a good trip to Florida,” Blasi said after arriving at Gulfstream, "He’s a great traveler. I’ll be with him the entire time. When we get there, he’ll have three days in quarantine before going to the track. He’ll have just one more work before the prep race.
For me not being much of a Curlin fan last year, I am so excited about this. I’m ready and raring to root for him. 
Me too 
(but I’ll admit I am glad he’s back)
How is the quarantine so short?
Curlin will take an Emirates Airlines cargo plane, specially fitted for horses, to Dubai. When he gets there he’ll have 48 hrs of “rest time” when he’ll be checked for infectious illness, before he can go out to work.
He’ll stable with other horses whose nations of origin have the same quarantine laws, ie USA/Canada. Horses are stabled there with others of the same nation. This makes transfer back to their home countries easier.
He’ll be assigned a number and a saddle pad with that number must be worn when he goes to train.
For info on the racing in Dubai go to www.dubairacingclub.com or www.drcnewswire.com
The following is from my friend in Dubai re: Curlin’s arrival.
"Curlin and Poncho arrived in Dubai Sat night in great shape. After a good feed and nights sleep, Curlin was given a bath and walked on a cool and foggy morning here. I talked with Scott, and Carmen this morning and they were very happy how the trip, and everything is going. Scott was very impressed how the flight flying groom and the staff here had everything running smooth and on time.This is not Scott’s first trip to Dubai, and his kind words were nice to hear for a large team of people that make it all happen.Curlin is eating well, and will make his first trip to the track on Wednesday AM.
Youmzain from the UK(2nd in the Arc) will arrive in about a hour, and other flights in the days ahead. Great weather, looks like a great beach/pool day! "
See also: BloodHorse 2-18-08 “Curlin Settles in at Nad Al Sheba”
excerpt
Carmen Rosas, Curlin’s regular exercise rider, also accompanied the champion to Dubai, along with Blasi’s pony, Poncho, who is delighted with his accommodations near his famous stablemate.
“Right now, Poncho thinks he’s died and gone to heaven,” Blasi said with a laugh. “He’s got a stall the size of a paddock.”
The Curlin team departed from the Fort Lauderdale airport Feb. 16 to begin the journey. Blasi said it took little time to load and take off, and “everything went really smooth” from there, with the refueling stop brief and the landing in Dubai within 10 minutes of schedule.
“My hat’s off to whoever orchestrated all this,” Blasi said, praising the Janah.
On a related note with the Dubai Classic - Premium Tap (aka Allam) lost a key prep race in Saudi Arabia to an Argentine import - Joe Louis (aka Kharimes) in the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cup:
BloodHorse 2-17-08 “Joe Louis Flattens Premium Tap”
The loss marked consecutive setbacks for Premium Tap, winner of the 2006 Woodward Stakes (gr. I) and Clark Handicap (gr. I), following his December victory in Saudi Arabia’s second most prestigious race, the Crown Prince Cup. Trainer Julio Gardel, an Argentine native, has been aiming Premium Tap for a return engagement in the Dubai World Cup, which is run over 2,000 meters.
Have loved hearing about Curlin, and am rooting for him in Dubai. That being said, I didn’t get to see the Belmont, Preakness or Breeder’s Cup, only his game effort in the Derby. But I did recently get some one on one face time with a recent Smart Strike bred gelding, and man, that is one good looking horse. …thinking I might need to look out for some Smart Strike colts for my next ex racer project.
Thanks for sharing that Linny.
HRTV viewers will be in luck as that cable channel will carry Curlin’s WC prep race in Dubai live.
HRTV to show Curlin’s Dubai World Cup prep
HorseRacing TV will broadcast live coverage of Horse of the Year and champion three-year-old Curlin’s prep race for the $6-million Emirates Airline Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1) on February 28.
The four-year-old Smart Strike colt is scheduled to prep for the world’s richest Thoroughbred race in a $175,000 handicap over 2,000 meters (9.94 furlongs)—the same distance as the World Cup.
HRTV’s coverage of racing from Dubai on February 28 will begin at 10:30 a.m. EST during its daily “RaceDay America” show. The show is co-hosted by Carolyn Conley and Scott Hazelton.
HRTV also will carry the Dubai World Cup live from Nad al Sheba racecourse on March 29.
For the rest of us we should be able to see the Dubai World Cup almost live on ABC Sports. If they do cover it I hope they’ll show the undercard as well the Dubai Sheema Classic (UAE-IT) as Better Talk Now the 9-yr old has agreed to go. Sans of course any rabbit so I don’t know how productive it will be …
I’m not sure if they’ll carry the United Arab Emirates Derby (UAE-G2), also an undercard, but there is a chance this is the race that Tomcito, the Peruvian 3-yr old HOTY, will kick off his road to the Belmont Stakes in.
That’s Poncho. Scott Blasi on Poncho, Carmen Rojas on Curlin. that’s a lovely shot. The building in the background is the Burj Dubai, soon to be the world’s tallest building.
