Why would Curlin skip the Breeders Cup

[wr98]

Im pretty new to Horse racing and was just wondering why Curlin would go to France instead of the Breeders Cup?

[njcurveball]

He doesn't want to run on wax and jelly cable!

[46zilzal]

Im pretty new to Horse racing and was just wondering why Curlin would go to France instead of the Breeders Cup?
The chance of almost immortality methinks. HE won the Classic already against a good field. New challenges are what the great ones thrive on.

[john del riccio]

IT AIN'T ON DIRT.

john

[MNslappy]

Well, neither is the Arc

Is this more about Santa Anita's polytrack than it is about polytrack in general?

[46zilzal]

Well, neither is the Arc

Is this more about Santa Anita's polytrack than it is about polytrack in general?
No, it seems like giving a horse the chance to make history more than anything else. As much as I think he will have a hard time accomplishing it, I applaud the attempt.

Racing here will only lead to huge imposts and risk the horse's health.

[njcurveball]

Isn't the Arc run in a different direction as well?

[cj]

Yes.

[OTM Al]

I would guess that even if he doesn't take to turf, the Japan Cup Dirt or whatever they call it now, may well be on the schedule as an alternate as they have clearly stated they want to show him off around the world. If the turf does work, wouldn't be surprised to see him follow the arc with the Japan Cup and perhaps conclude the year at Sha Tin. Only thing that would be cooler than that is if they keep running him at 5 (yeah I know, but we can dream can't we?). Wasn't a fan of his TC time last year because I didn't think he was ready yet, so had to stand against, and then probably did that a little too long afterward, but this year I'm all for this guy.

[Snow Chief]

No, it seems like giving a horse the chance to make history more than anything else. As much as I think he will have a hard time accomplishing it, I applaud the attempt.

Racing here will only lead to huge imposts and risk the horse's health.

He will not get huge imposts here, nor would weights in the 130's endanger his health. The point is moot as he would only have 1 handicap race left max before everything switches to weight for age if he ran here the rest of the season.

[sandpit]

If Curlin can go to France and beat Duke of Marmalade, he is truly great...The Duke was spectacular today at Ascot, and being by Danehill out of a Kingmambo mare, he is bred as well as any horse in Europe.

[Cratos]

If he likes the turf and can tote 130+ pounds the track is made for his late kick with nearly a 1500 feet long straightaway to the finish line. Also the $6.2 million purse is a nice incentive.

[Tom]

The BC Calssic is an asterisk race this year and next.
The whole BC is a joke.

[Marlin]

Synthetic will have zero to do with his participation at SA. It's all about history and I could see him in the ARC and if he comes out of it good wheeling right back in the BC.

[lamboguy]

after watching the keeneland meet this year seeing how many turf horses have won on the polytrack, it is probably a great idea to run in the arc. the horse will train on the turf, get a prep race in france before he goes into the main race, come back from there, and go right to california.

steve asmussen has a photographic memory, he is one sharp guy. i beleive he enteres all his horses all over the world. he don't make to many mistakes. i think he doesn't want the same thing to happen to curlin, like what happened to pyro on the poly. this is a very bold move he is making to go to france, and the owner deserves some credit for going along with it too. after all, curlin won't be the favorite in the arc. i am not sure, but i have never heard of a horse from north america winning the arc. with steve, you can expect excellence, and you will get it!

[46zilzal]

i am not sure, but i have never heard of a horse from north america winning the arc. with steve, you can expect excellence, and you will get it!
Mill Reef Paul Mellon (American bred and owned)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mill_Reef
Tom Rolfe was 6th. "He could finish only sixth, but that result remains one of the best ever by an American-trained entry in that French classic."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Rolfe

an aside: Mellon was the only one to have a K Derby winner and an Arc winner.

[joelouis]

Money maybe, not sure

[Hosshead]

I think Curlin's 2 races in the Middle East had NO lasix.
Although he won, bet they would love to use it in the Arc, but can't.
Back on it the other day at CD.
Will be able to use it (on the plastic) at SA but wouldn't blame them a bit if they don't want him on anything but nice clean DIRT.

[Tom]

Mill Reef Paul Mellon

Side note - I bet a horse named Mill Reef at Finger Lakes in the 70's.
He was like 10 years old or someting and hadn't races on flats in a few years, but had been in hunt meetings. It was one of those 4 mile + races. He got lapped!
I assume it was not the same horse. :lol:

[joanied]

I read there is also a slight problem with Curlin running in NY...something to do with the ownership ...evidently one of the idiot owners that's still in jail let his owners lic expire...so now NY says Curlin can't run there...damned moron's...if Curlin did go in the JCGC it would mean another huge race day for Belmont....and this development will probably be the thing that does send him to France (barf)...I do not like France...and I seem to be in the minority, but I think it's a mistake to send him there...we have had a couple of USA bred Arc winners...but it's a very difficult thing to do, and there are a couple of outstanding horses over there that'll be running... it might be a chance for Curlin to make history....but, I don't know if I would go for it.
As for racing here...he might have to carry some wieght...but he's good enough, big enough, strong enough to tote 130 lbs with no problem. Besides the fact all our great ones from 'back in the day' carried huge weights...if they could do it, so can Curlin...some of our great race mares carried huge weights...it's the spread that makes the difference, but I doubt it'd make a difference with Curlin.

Just found :jump: that link for the story on Curlin's 'ban' from NY---
http://www.paulickreport.com/blog/breaking-curlin-banned-in-new-york/ (http://www.paulickreport.com/blog/breaking-curlin-banned-in-new-york/)

I wonder if they have even tried Curlin on grass yet?
As for the BC....I wonder just what kind of a field we'll see in the Classic... how many will try the surface?
I still cannot beleive 'they' will have the BC Day at SA 2 yrs in a row...does anyone know WHY they decided on that? Can they change their minds and host it someplace else in 2010?
I also can't beleive they are sticking to the new format with fillies & mares all on Friday:mad:

[OTM Al]

A couple things in response:

First, the Arc is one of a very small handful, if not the, greatest race in the world. The competiton is the very best. The BC and Dubai wins are impressive, but as most of the world races primarily on turf, he would be facing the very best and should he win, he would have stamped his ability on both surfaces in a way that has not been done in a very long time if not ever. If you want to make history, it is far more important than any BC race. To even make the start there is a great accomplishment

Second, as to the BC, tracks don't want the current deal being offered. The track does not get the monies from BC day races, only an estimate of what they would have gotten normally. If that is where it ended, then that would be ok, but the BC also uses up the tracks resources and brings in its own vendors and the track must spend a lot of money for the planning of the event. For any one of the big tracks, its a losing proposition. For smaller tracks at least they can offset the monetary loss with the hopeful increase in interest and exposure, so that is why a place like Lone Star or Monmouth would be interested. I think, given that the BC is run during the Oak Tree meet at SA, because of the way that meet is run (NOT by Magna, but by a non-Profit org), that financially it is much easier for SA to run that show.

[levinmpa]

I'm all for Curlin going to France. I hope his form will transfer to the turf because he will find the competition that he is not finding on dirt in the U.S. We all know the 3YO crop is a joke this year. What a difference a year makes. There is no Street Sense, Hard Spun, Rags to Riches or Any Given Saturday types this year. And no older horses the caliber of Lawyer Ron. Curlin has nothing to prove running the in the BC Classic against lackluster competition. I think former jockey Cash Asmussen, who rode for many years in France, put the idea into Steve's head. I love it. We're all so used to connections finding easy spots for their horses. It's refreshing to find someone that wants to give their horse a new challenge just for the sport of it. Kind of like the old days.

[46zilzal]

No matter the outcome, I agree, you have to applaud the effort at testing this fellow's adaptation.

I hear that he will work on the green, try a local turf event before another Euro prep. If all goes well he will have a date with immortality. The sport sorely is in need of this and I hope it goes well.

[Tom]

Dittos that, 46. We need horses, like Big Red who go out there and get things done. Unlike the pussy-fied ones we get year in and year out, one or two big races, then retire, duck weith, duck competition........bleck!

I see the BC as proving nothing for any horse - hopefully it will lose a lot of it's luster and we can get back to the horse of the YEAR, not horse of this afternoon. Frankly, the BC has hurt racing, IMHO and I think we would be better off without it. All 47 races of it and the plasti-crap it is run over.

[plainolebill]

Can you imagine Ducking and Diving Frankel doing something that bold? I hope Curlin wins if he goes but I'm just happy to see someone who actually knows what great means.

[PaceAdvantage]

It's refreshing to read a thread about a horse trained by a guy who's been suspended MULTIPLE, MUTIPLE times for drug infractions with his horses, and NOT have to read about what a crook the trainer is in every other post....

Now, contrast that with any Big Brown thread here on this board (both BEFORE and AFTER the Belmont Stakes) and you can kind of see what I am getting at here....

The duplicity of attitudes on this board when writing about Big Brown / Dutrow compared to Curlin / Asmussen is breathtaking....

[joanied]

It's refreshing to read a thread about a horse trained by a guy who's been suspended MULTIPLE, MUTIPLE times for drug infractions with his horses, and NOT have to read about what a crook the trainer is in every other post....

Now, contrast that with any Big Brown thread here on this board (both BEFORE and AFTER the Belmont Stakes) and you can kind of see what I am getting at here....

The duplicity of attitudes on this board when writing about Big Brown / Dutrow compared to Curlin / Asmussen is breathtaking....

:ThmbUp: :ThmbUp: :ThmbUp:

As for Curlin and the Arc...I'll stay with my thoughts that it's an extremely difficult thing to do...we've had some great grass horses in the past that didn't try it...I don't know what their reasoning is to send him over there...in my opinion, it's $$$$$...they want him retired as all time leading earner (which to me is about a stupid thing to shoot for, I don't think it means that much)...but if they are going to try Curlin on grass here in the states first, and he rund well on it...then yes, send him over because he may just be the best horse in the world right now....it would be a very good thing for us if he wins that race.

[Tom]

PA is right.
Are there any grass-specific drugs that might help him win the Arc? Anything from Scotts?






;)

[Spendabuck85]

Asmussen was just on Capital OTB and stated that the plan is to work Curlin on the Churchill turf course on Tuesday, July 1st.