Curlin Who?

[Silver Charm]

Anybody who just saw Grasshopper wait, split, accelerate and draw off knows this is going to be one serious race horse this year.

[Uncle Buck]

Albarado is well mounted this year in the Handicap Division I\'d say:-)

I thought Baffert\'s 3yo filly ran huge. I tried to beat her but she earned every dime running a little wide and breaking from the outside. As for Pyro, damn! Like an express train. Daytona should have been a hunch play...

[marcus]

That almost reminded me of the \"immaculate recovery\" in the Belmont a few years back ... where\'s the limit on ability for a horse like this  ...

[Chuckles_the_Clown2]

If you\'re thinking of Afleet Alex, that was in the Preakness and Grasshopper may be a nice horse but the athleticism isn\'t comparable.

I\'d also be real careful with a belief that Grasshopper is going to be especially effective at distances, considering the odds he\'s pulling and do doubt there\'s a trip to Dubai in his future.

I have to say one other thing. I\'ve been critical of Pulpit\'s in the past, but Pyro does give the impression that he wants to go on. That said, Indian Blessing would have beaten him up and taken his lunch money in that race.

marcus Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> That almost reminded me of the \"immaculate
> recovery\" in the Belmont a few years back ... Been
> going over my neg #\'s studies all week in
> conjuncture with the \'07 BC final #\'s  file Alan
> put up recently and after seeing that today - I\'m
> beginning to wonder where\'s the ceiling on ability
> for a horse like this  ...

[marcus]

your right - it was \"The Great\" AFleet Alex -  i was getting carried away after the race  ...

[Silver Charm]

Grasshopper has the right people handling him also. He will go to the right places and run in the right races.

If we suddenly see some early retirement news from the Curlin Camp later this spring or summer there could be a reason why.

Anybody have any logic as to why Gasmussen skipped this logical prep to go straight to Dubia and run a Mile and a Quarter off the layoff.

Last time I remember this occuring was with Charlie Whittingham and Greinton in the Big Cap.

Gasmussen aint no Charlie Whittingham............

[NoCarolinaTony]

SC

From what I\'ve read over the weekend, is that ASSMUSSEN claims that Curlin runs best efforts 2x on a new racing surface. So they would like to give him one over that surface. They (NAD) also seem to have rewrote a race condition so that Curlin could fit.

NC Tony

[P.Eckhart]

I\'m very much looking forward to seeing Premium Tap emerge from Saudi Arabia. He was one talented and progressive animal, I hope they have him 100%.

[Silver Charm]

Tony,

Was not aware that he was going over there to run in a prep which might explain why Gasmussen decided to duck Grasshopper.

Gasmussen better make sure the horse is plenty clean. Sure wouldn\'t want another Brass Hat.

And this is one jurisdiction where they will test you.........

[fkach]

Wow, I didn\'t even realize that Premium Tap was still active. After his great start last year he vanished and I assumed he was hurt and retired.

[Chuckles_the_Clown2]

Silver,

Do you really think they are duckin Gashopper?...He couldn\'t even handle Street Sense, who was no better than the third best 3YO.

Silver Charm Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Tony,
>
> Was not aware that he was going over there to run
> in a prep which might explain why Gasmussen
> decided to duck Grasshopper.
>
> Gasmussen better make sure the horse is plenty
> clean. Sure wouldn\'t want another Brass Hat.
>
> And this is one jurisdiction where they will test
> you.........

[xichibanx]

fkach Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Wow, I didn\'t even realize that Premium Tap was
> still active. After his great start last year he
> vanished and I assumed he was hurt and retired.

He has been running great in Saudi Arabia where he is now known as Allam.  Desormeaux has been riding him there and they have articles about his races at NTRA.com.

[Lost Cause]

Forget Grasshopper for now...Curlin better keep his mind on Asiatic Boy In Dubai...When Asiatic Boy hits dirt he transforms into something special.

[Silver Charm]

Curlin is like the neighborhood bully. He can do what he wants when he wants. See his maiden win at Gulfstream and the Preakness. This was not exactly textbook professional racing and yet it did not matter.

Curlin couldn\'t do the kind of professional racing Grasshopper performed on Saturday and yet someone else could argue, he doesn\'t have to.

For Curlin to have beaten Grasshopper last Saturday Gasmussen would have to have broken out the \"really good sh!t\".

Its early and he didn\'t want to. He would rather face six or seven camels while prepping in Dubai.

[Badride]

Mentioning Asiatic Boy in the same breath as Curlin is comical.  

What has Asiatic Boy ever done?   Whenever he runs against good horses he gets drilled.