Bodog Beat

Curlin is primed for the Dubai World Cup. (AP Images)

Yesterday, Horse of the Year Curlin along with assistant trainer Scott Blasi arrived in Dubai to prepare for the $6 million Dubai World Cup (UAE-I) on March 29.

“Curlin is pretty smart. He know he’s here to do something,” Blasi said. “He’s got quite a bit of pep in his step, so I’ll be anxious to get him to the track.

“He looks really good,” Blasi continued, reporting that Curlin is eating well, though that is typical for the robust colt. “He’s a good doer. He didn’t get that big by not eating.”

Curlin has been adjusting to the long flight from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., just fine. “Couldn’t have gone any better,” Blasi said. After sunrise on Feb. 18 Curlin was given the chance to stretch his legs around the barn in the Nad Al Sheba quarantine area. The quarantine is only 48 hours, and then he’ll get a chance to try out the dirt track on Feb. 20.

Team Curlin left Fort Lauderdale on Feb. 16, and Blasi commented that “everything went really smooth.” It didn’t take much time at all to load and take off, and refueling was brief and only necessary one time. They actually landed in Dubai only within 10 minutes of schedule.

"My hat’s off to whoever orchestrated all this,” Blasi said, praising the Janah Management Co. of Newmarket, England, which assigned skilled traveling groom Chris Webster to help take care of Curlin on the flight.

If everything stays according to schedule, Curlin will make his first start of 2008 on Feb. 28 as part of the Dubai International Racing Carnival’s $175,000 2,000 meter race (1/4 mile).

Trainer Steve Asmussen said, “He wants the entire world to see how good Curlin is, and he has noted that if the colt surpasses Cigar’s record bankroll of $9,999,815, a mark set more than a decade ago, he will leave a significant legacy to racing.”

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