CURLIN fancied for BC Classic.

STEVE ASMUSSEN was on Monday so confident Horse of the Year Curlin will see off the European challengers in the Breeders' Cup Classic that he confessed he didn't know how many there were.

Whether Duke Of Marmalade, Henrythenavigator and Raven's Pass mean anything to him or not, he stressed that they were of no concern as he prepared Curlin - general 5-2 favourite with British and Irish bookmakers - in his bid for back-to-back victories in Saturday's $5 million showdown, in which he will saddle three of his own runners.

"I wouldn't even be sure of the number," said Asmussen. "That's out of our control and we can't concern ourselves with it. I always have that approach to all races.

"When you feel a race is right for one, you point at it and try to get the best race out of him. That's the only thing you can control.

"If you go entering in races or not entering according to who is and isn't going to go without knowing the physical condition of your horse, it isn't doing justice to your horse."

While the leading European horses were en route to California, Curlin is already on the ground and running, completing another four -furlong workout on the new Santa Anita Pro-Ride synthetic track on Monday morning ahead of a race in which he will be joined by stablemates Pyro and Student Council.

Attached files

The draw is made this evening at 2100.

Thanks Mori, will give it a check, should be a great meeting.

The Draw Curlin in the 9 box, The Duke in box 4, Henry in 5 and the winner Ravens Pass in box number 8

Santa Anita
11:45 BREEDERS' CUP CLASSIC (GRADE 1) (3YO+) (PRO-RIDE) (3yo+) Winner £0.00 1m2f FAST
No. Form Horse Trainer RTF % Wgt Jockey
1(1) 2221 Go Between 62 William Mott 5 9-0 G K Gomez 136 - — —
2(2) 111 Casino Drive 13 Kazuo Fujisawa 3 8-9 V Espinoza 134 - — —
3(3) 1262 Tiago 28 John Shirreffs 4 9-0 M E Smith 131 - — —
4(4) 1117 Duke Of Marmalade 20 A P O´Brien 4 9-0 J Murtagh 144 131 — —
5(5) 1117 Henrythenavigator 28 A P O´Brien 3 8-9 J R Velazquez 142 142 — —
6(6) 0131 Smooth Air 28 Bennie F Stutts Jr 3 8-9 M Cruz 127 - — —
7(7) 1325 Student Council 62 Steven Asmussen 6 9-0 S X Bridgmohan 131 - — —
8( 2211 Raven´s Pass 28 J H M Gosden 3 8-9 L Dettori 144 140 — —
9(9) 1211 Curlin 28 Steven Asmussen 4 9-0 R Albarado 145 136 — —
10(10) 6211 Fairbanks 28 Todd Pletcher 5 9-0 R Migliore 123 - — —
11(11) 1631 Colonel John 63 Eoin Harty 3 8-9 E Prado 140 - — —
12(12) 6613 Champs Elysees 21 Robert Frankel 5 9-0 A Garcia 129 - — —

Gosden admits Raven's Pass worries on eve of big money Breeders' Cup Classic
By Marcus Townend
Last updated at 1:24 AM on 23rd October 2008
John Gosden admits that stamina is a worry for Raven's Pass when he takes on Curlin and Co in Saturday's $5million Breeders' Cup Classic over 10 furlongs.
The Newmarket trainer says he has freshened up the colt since his victory in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot in September, a victory which could see him ultimately crowned as Europe's best miler with both Tamayuz and Henrythenavigator behind him.
But the Newmarket trainer has opted to shoot for the big prize over 10 furlongs on dirt. Gosden said: 'He should be able to stay but his father (Elusive Quality) was a very fast miler and I always have that in mind, so if the last eighth of a mile proves too far, that's life, but at least we were brave and tried it.'
Both Raven's Pass and Donativum, Gosden's runner in the Juvenile Turf, had their first experience of the Santa Anita track yesterday as temperatures approached the 90s.
Their jockey, Frankie Dettori, is also now in town.
Gosden added: 'We just trotted Raven's Pass this morning and schooled in the paddock. Both him and Donativum seem happy and have travelled very well.
'The introduction of the synthetic surfaces was very attractive to us. I wouldn't be running Raven's Pass in the Classic if it was still on dirt.
'The problem with dirt is not the surface but the kickback and, if European horses have never suffered kickback in their faces, let me tell you, it will put you right out of your stride.
'With this, it is a level playing field and very exciting as it also brings in the best horses from around the world. You're going to find a Dirt of Turf champion but you are going to find a champion.'
Donativum would not have been considered a Breeders' Cup contender until he won a valuable sales race at Newmarket earlier this month.
But Gosden explained he always had talent, and he just took time to find a way to exploit it.
'Donativum was incredibly unruly when we broke him and spent the whole of January and February on his hind legs looking for any filly he could find. He was a complete menace.
'I ran him as a colt a couple of times, once at Royal Ascot and knocked over a horse of The Queen's at Leicester. After that I decided enough was enough and we are not going to make a stallion here so we gelded him and he has been a pleasure to be around since.
He won the valuable sales race at Newmarket worth more than a million bucks and paid for his ticket out here and he is enjoying the California sun.'
Gosden enjoyed a winner at the first ever Breeders' Cup at Hollywood Park in 1984 with Royal Heroine.
Seventeen runners since have missed the target but a winner on Saturday would be appropriate for the man who actually kicked off his career with a clutch of horses at Santa Anita.
'I've had a couple of near misses and a couple of horses that left me to race elsewhere, that's life,' he reflected in typical Gosden style.
There is little doubt, however, that a 25th anniversary winner would give Gosden huge satisfaction.

morilihochilli Wrote:

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> The Draw Curlin in the 9 box, The Duke in box 4,
> Henry in 5 and the winner Ravens Pass in box
> number 8


You beauty Ravens Pass

Curlin clearly the better horse, but what is it with the americans that they insist on riding 6 lenths wide??? good show from HtheN

I have to disagree with you Don.

Since Curlin drilled a poor field in the Dubai World Cup he has probably regressed a bit and if you analyse the form of the horses he has beaten since Dubai it doesn't measure up.

Its easy to talk afterwards but the reality was that last night was his biggest test of his career and he just wasn't good enough. The jock said there were no problems with surface and Raven's Pass tracked a similar path to Curlin in the race.

I think they could run that race 100 times and Raven's Pass would still win. It might have been a different story on the dirt but I can't see how Curlin can be "clearly the better horse"...

To me, the surface was clearly the important factor.
While the jock didn't make any excuses, the race was clearly run like a turf race, not a dirt race.

On that surface, Curlin was clearly NOT the best. Put those same horses on dirt, almost certainly a different result.

Morning Adios, you have to hand it to the Yanks "World Championship" World Series"!
Only in the States.

Adios - either cut the lacex or stay on turf/artificial? the americans have a lot to answer for with regards to breakdowns.