Curlin drills six furlongs at Churchill

Curlin, a convincing Dubai World Cup winner, is being pointed toward a possible start in the Stephen Foster on June 14  (Frank Sorge/Horsephotos.com)

Memorial Day was a working holiday for Horse of the Year CURLIN (Smart
Strike), who drilled six furlongs in 1:12 1/5 on the fast track at Churchill
Downs. With regular exercise rider Carlos Rosas in the saddle, the Steve
Asmussen charge worked in company with his stakes-winning stablemate FORTY GRAMS
(Distorted Humor). Curlin finished on even terms with Forty Grams, who posted
the same time.

These were the only six-furlong moves on the Monday morning worktab at the
Louisville, Kentucky, track.

Asmussen was at Churchill to watch the work, and then boarded a flight to
Texas to saddle his stable’s multiple entries on Lone Star Million Day at Lone
Star Park.

“I think he went well,” Asmussen said. “He wasn’t as smooth as he is when
he’s perfect, but he went really well.”

Curlin was posting his fourth published work since his smashing triumph in
the Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1) on March 29. The power-packed chestnut returned to
serious training with an easy half-mile move on May 5, and he followed up with
five-furlong works on May 12 and 19.

The $750,000 Stephen Foster H. (G1) on June 14 at Churchill Downs has been
mentioned by Stonestreet Stable’s Jess Jackson as the likely next start for
Curlin, but that is not yet the colt’s definite target.