Preakness winner Curlin will be one of the favorites in the Breeders Cup Classic on October 27th at Monmouth Park. Curlin won his way into the Breeders Cup Classic with a victory in his final prep race, the Jockey Gold Cup.
Curlin was a major part of the Triple Crown races as in addition to his Preakness victory he was 3rd in the Kentucky Derby and 2nd in the Belmont Stakes.
Curlin comes into the Breeders Cup Classic having won over $2.4 million dollars. He is coming off a win in the Jockey Gold Cup over Lawyer Ron and will be one of the top three betting choices in the Breeders Cup Classic. History may be working against Curlin in the Breeders Cup Classic. He was third in his last race (The Haskell) at Monmouth Park. Preakness winners also don’t do well historically in the Breeders Cup Classic. Eight out of ten Preakness winners have lost in the Breeders Cup Classic. Only Alysheba and Sunday Silence won both the Preakness and the Breeders Cup Classic.
Probable Betting Odds: 5-1
Trainer: Steve Asmussen
Jockey: Robby Albarado
Dosage Index 4.00
2007 Record: Five wins, one 2nd place finish and two 3rd place finishes. (8-5-1-2)
2007 Key Races:
3rd in Kentucky Derby – Curlin had just three starts before the Kentucky Derby and his lack of experience cost him as he finished 3rd as the 7-2 morning line favorite. He was the second betting choice at post time but finished 3rd behind Street Sense and Hard Spun.
1st in Preakness Stakes – Curlin beat Street Sense by a neck tying the track record set by Tank’s Prospect in 1985 and Louis Quatorze in 1996.
2nd in Belmont Stakes – Curlin went off as the even money favorite in the Belmont Stakes but lost a great stretch duel to the filly Rags to Riches.
3rd in Haskell Invitational – Curlin was sent off as the favorite but finished third behind Any Given Saturday and Hard Spun.
1st in Jockey Gold Cup – Curlin won a stretch duel with Lawyer Ron to win the Jockey Gold Cup and the automatic bid into the Breeders Cup Classic.