“Physically, he came out of the race great,” reported trainer Steve Asmussen.
The trainer added that he would evaluate the colt during the weeks ahead and that at this point, he was considering “all options.”
Jess Jackson, owner of Stonestreet Farm, said Saturday that those options could include another start on turf, which if successful, could send Curlin to France’s Longchamp Race Course for the Prix Foy on September 14 and the Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe on October 5. He also mentioned the Tattersalls Millions Irish Champion Stakes on Saturday, September 6 at Leopardstown as a possibility.
“We know what he can do on dirt, so we can always go back,” Jackson said. “We’ll need to see how he rebounds from this race, and then I’ll talk to Steve.”
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Michael Lecesse and Scott Vanlaer’s Tin Cup Chalice ran his record to 6-0 Saturday afternoon at Finger Lakes, winning the $159,600 New York Derby by a length and half Tin Cup Chalice lead all the way under jockey Pedro Rodriguez and stopped the clock at 1:45.97 for the mile and a sixteenth race. He returned $3.50
A gelded son of Crusader Sword, Tin Cup Chalice is now in position to run in Saratoga’s $150,000-added Albany Handicap at nine furlongs on August 20. If he can win that race, he will receive a $250,000 bonus from the New York State Breeding & Racing Program for sweeping the races that make up the OTB’s Big Apple Triple.
The Spa has been good to the Lecesses. Lecesse’s father, Ray, owned Fio Rito, winner of the1981 Whitney Handicap at Saratoga.
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On Sunday’s work tab, Grade 1Wood Memorial winner Tale of Ekati went five furlongs on Belmont Park’s firm inner turf course for trainer Barclay Tagg in 1:01.55, handily, around the “dogs”. . . Hall of Fame trainer Bobby Frankel sent out Jaipur winner First Defence on the main track, and he went five furlongs in 1:01.21 breezing. . . Trainer Giussepe Iadisernia sent out Brooklyn Handicap winner Delosvientos, who breezed five furlongs in 1:02.42 on the main track. . . Music Note, fresh off her Grade 1 victory in the Mother Goose, worked five furlongs in 1:00.87, breezing, for trainer Saeed bin Suroor, who is likely pointing her toward the Grade 1, $600,000 Alabama for three-year-old fillies at a mile and a quarter at Saratoga Race Course on Saturday, August 16.
Back on the inner turf course, Al Basha, winner of the Mohawk Handicap last fall for trainer Angel Penna Jr., went a half mile in :51.04, breezing, while trainer Jimmy Toner sent out Sailor’s Cap, winner of the Grade 3 Colonial Turf Cup last month, five furlongs in 1:02.05, breezing.
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A reminder that Wednesday begins the final five days of racing in the 2008 Belmont Spring/Summer Meet. First race post is 1 p.m. every day, except Friday, when first race post is 3 p.m. followed by “Party in the Park.”
Closing Day is Sunday, July 20 and racing will resume upstate with Saratoga Race Course’s 140th season kicking off on Wednesday, July 23. Saratoga’s 36-day meet – there is no racing on Tuesdays – will conclude on Labor Day, Monday, September 1.
Belmont Park’s 38-day Fall Championship Meet will begin on Friday, September 5 and run through October 26.