Curlin posts final work for Gold Cup

Curlin is on a mission to surpass inaugural Dubai World Cup hero Cigar (Andrew Watkins/Dubai Racing Club) In a workout described by assistant trainer Scott Blasi as "perfect," reigning Horse of the Year CURLIN (Smart Strike) turned in his final move Monday morning before attempting to become North America's all-time leading money-winning Thoroughbred in Saturday's $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup Invitational (G1) at Belmont Park. Under regular exercise rider Carlos Rosas, the four-year-old colt covered a half-mile in :51 4/5 on the fast Oklahoma training track at Saratoga. Curlin went in fractions of :13 and :25 3/5 while galloping out five furlongs in 1:06. "It was his normal work before he runs," said Blasi, assistant to trainer Steve Asmussen. "He got over the ground really well and we are all excited about Saturday."

Curlin, who enters the 1 1/4-mile Jockey Club Gold Cup with earnings of

$9,796,800, is on the verge of breaking Cigar's money-earning record of

$9,999,815, which has stood for 12 years. The winner's purse of $450,000 would

vault him past Cigar with a total bankroll of $10,246,800.

Along with Asmussen's stable pony, Pancho, and stablemate J BE K (Silver

Deputy), who worked a half-mile in :49 4/5 over the Oklahoma track in

preparation for Saturday's $400,000 Vosburgh S. (G1), Curlin is scheduled to

depart Saratoga Race Course on Tuesday morning at 10 a.m. (EDT) and arrive at

Belmont Park between 1:30 and 2 p.m. According to Blasi, Curlin will gallop

Wednesday morning over the main track, school in the paddock during the 2ND race on Thursday afternoon and gallop again on Friday.

Expected to challenge Curlin as he goes for a repeat victory in the Jockey

Club Gold Cup are MAMBO IN SEATTLE (Kingmambo), who suffered the narrowest of

losses in the Travers S. (G1), Suburban H. (G1) winner FROST GIANT (Giant's

Causeway), and WANDERIN BOY (Seeking the Gold), third to Curlin in the Woodward

S. (G1) last out. TIMBER RESERVE (Forest Camp), ANGLIANA (Giant's Causeway), and

either A. P. ARROW (A.P. Indy) or RAVEL (Fusaichi Pegasus) are also expected for

the Gold Cup.

Mambo in Seattle worked a half-mile in :49 3/5 over Belmont Park's fast main

track Monday. Under the weight-for-age conditions of the Gold Cup, Mambo in

Seattle, a three-year-old, will carry 122 pounds while the older entrants will

each carry 126 pounds.

With jockey Robby Albarado committed to ride Curlin, trainer Neil Howard has

given the call to Hall of Fame jockey Edgar Prado aboard Mambo in Seattle.

"We understand what a tall order it is to go against a champion like Curlin,"

said Howard, who won the Jockey Club Gold Cup in 2003 with Mineshaft. "And it is

always a big step up when a three-year-old goes up against older horses. We had

the Super Derby (G2) in Louisiana as an option, but we had a feeling that Mambo

in Seattle would love Belmont Park and would love to train here. Plus, it gave

us another week after a tough race like the Travers.

"After the Travers, we brought Mambo in Seattle to Belmont Park and he proved

us right," Howard added. "He loves it here. We felt that by running in the

Jockey Club Gold Cup, we took shipping out of the equation. We get a mile and a

quarter, which is a distance we know he can negotiate, and on top of that, we

get a break in the weights. Curlin is a great champion, but this is the perfect

spot to take a shot."

Ravel also worked Monday, breezing four furlongs in :49 4/5 over the fast

Belmont training track The four-year-old has finished fourth in both of his

starts this year, the San Fernando S. (G2) at Santa Anita in January and an

August 13 allowance/optional claimer at Saratoga. Trainer Todd Pletcher is also

the conditioner for Gold Cup invitee A.P. Arrow.

RED ROCKS (Ire) (Galileo [Ire]), the 2006 Breeders' Cup Turf (G1) winner who

scored a two-length victory over Curlin in the Man o' War S. (G1) over the

Belmont turf on July 12, suffered an infection in his hock in Saratoga while

training for the Sword Dancer Invitational (G1) and missed the race. On Monday,

he breezed a half-mile in :52 on Belmont Park's firm inner turf course.

"Today was his first work back and he went beautifully," said trainer Mark

Hennig, who took over the horse's training from Brian Meehan after the Man o'

War. "He's not going in the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic (Invitational [G1]) this

weekend. We'll train him up to the (October 25) Breeders' Cup (Turf [G1] at

Santa Anita)."

One horse who is going to the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic is GRAND COUTURIER (GB)

(Grand Lodge), who won his second consecutive Sword Dancer Invitational in

Red Rocks' absence. He breezed a half-mile in :49 on the inner turf course at

Belmont Park for trainer Bobby Ribaudo.

On the main track, Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott sent out Diana S. (G1)

runner-up DYNAFORCE (Dynaformer) for a five-furlong work of 1:03 1/5. She will

go in Saturday's Flower Bowl Invitational (G1).

Also on Monday's tab was the Todd Pletcher-trained BITTEL ROAD (Stormy

Atlantic), who got a half-mile in :50 over the firm Oklahoma turf course at

Saratoga. Winner of Saratoga's With Anticipation S. on August 29, Bittel Road

will run in Sunday's $150,000 Pilgrim S. (G3) at 1 1/16 miles on the turf. The

winner of the Pilgrim automatically qualifies for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile

Turf at Santa Anita on October 25.