7/12 (BEL): Man O' War (Gr. I)
 

9th (5:15) Man o' War S. (G1)

1 3/8 Miles (Inner turf) | Open | 3 Year Olds And Up Stakes | Purse: $500,000

1 Better Talk Now Dominguez R A 120 L
2 Grand Couturier (GB) Borel C H 120 L
3 Mission Approved Cohen D 116 L
4 True Cause Maragh R 116 L
5 Sudan (IRE) Velazquez J R 120 L
6 Red Rocks (IRE) Castellano J J 116 Blk-On L
7 Curlin Albarado R J 116 L

At least we won't have to hear Asmussen whine about the weights this time.

I'd have to think the conditions of the race are why they wanted him to run in this spot so bad - and why Shug didn't even bother to nominate Dancing Forever...who would have had to give away 7lbs to Curlin and 3lbs away to a pair of former BC Turf winners. Einstein would have also had to carry 123 in this spot.

Well hold on now. Assmussen will probably want his own outrider for Curlin, a new gate crew with more neutral attire and he's still interviewing for the race call. But I hear Durkin is ALMOST a shoe-in. I am excited about the horse and the race. But, once again, we are faced with having to ignore the connections.

win or lose, looking forward to hearing Durkin say "Grand Cooteryay"

Curlin this weekend - scenarios?
 

Does he have to win to go to the Arc?

I would have to say yes

Asmussen says "no":

http://racing.bloodhorse.com/article/46041.htm

Although I think it's pretty far-fetched to believe he could lose to a field of has beens and still look good enough to be considered Arc material.

Glad that ESPNews is showing it, going to have to find it somewhere in Wrigleyville after the Cubs game, I am sure Cubbie Bear will have it on somewhere.....

he gets 4 pounds off red rocks, i reckon if RR runs his race, Curlin would have to beat him by about 10 lengths to be considered a challanger for the Arc..

i'm curious if they have a plan B, should he not look the best. they've already implied that the BC classic is not interesting, because winning it back to back has already been done.

Let's say his performance in the Manhattan is adequate but not scintillating. How about giving him a chance at the Breeders Cup Turf? The field shouldn't be as deep and he would have a chance to the have the only BC Classic/BC Turf double.

I'm guessing he wins this race solidly.

i think you mean the Man o War, not the Manhattan.

I would say if he's only adequate in the Man O War, that's not going to cut it in the BC Turf either.

I mean I have no problem if they run him in these turf races, but they seem to be on a mission to prove his greatness, and to do something no other horse has done before, which to me means more than just acquiting himself well.

who knows.

Didn't his connections toss around the idea of further international racing beyond France?

Should this weekend's turf experiement prove a colossal flop, they could always aim for something like the Japan Dirt Cup to increase his bankroll and international resume.

I think he does too... I think he's so talented that the Belmont turf surface shouldnt slow him down.. I dont feel convicted enough to make a wager because of his assumed real low odds it just wouldnt be worth it.. (not that I bet much anyway).

But my opinion is he rolls here by like 3-5 lenghts in a good time!

That does NOT translate into success in France... but I'd love to see him try over there!

the Japan cup was mentioned, i don't know if that would still be planB. it could be I guess.

I doubt they run in a turf race here after this race, it is either he runs well and goes to France OR he stays here and goes back to dirt, maybe some NY race, becuase there really isn't many dirt Grade 1's left so it would have to be somewhere out there, JCGC or something

Go to Yaktzee's right across from the stadium. A good buddy of mine bartends there. They should be able to put ESPNews on a tv for ya.

What side of Addison, north or south? I have never heard of it, although I have probably been in it

What about the Woodward followed by the JCGC? Does that just make too much sense to even be considered or what?

I don't understand the fact that they want this horse to prove his greatness and yet at the same time want to avoid high weights. If he is as good as they seem to think, why not run him in some real handicap races?

I think the fact that they are trying him on turf is very interesting, but if it doesn't work out tomorrow (and I'm not completely sold on the fact that it will) why not return to dirt, spot the other contenders some weight and then try to beat them? It seemed to work out okay that way for top horses for about a century. Why couldn't it work for Curlin?

I looked at my local newspaper today, and didn't see the race listed for the TV schedule tomorrow. I called the newspaper, and they said they only list the Triple Crown races, although I pointed out that they have the Delaware Handicap listed for Sunday an omitted the #1 rated horse in the world running tomorrow.

They said that they will put it in tomorrow, but we'll see...

Not necessarily win, but certainly must look like one of the best.

the Man O'War is listed for ESPNNews at 5:15 tomorrow.

I just checked the dish guide and it does not list any races tomorrow.

A very interesting article on dirt to turf super stars here.
http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/hor...emy&id=3479881

not listed but on ESPN News

If he doesn't go to the front, get the lead with some sensible fractions, and fight them off at the end, there is no way he wins.

Sudan will wire this field.

When Better Talk Now and co. start running, Curlin won't know what to do.

Has to go to the front...

Is this not a great thing for racing? A really good dirt horse
who has proven himself trying another surface. Personally
I this experiment as terribly exciting. I really cant wait
to see how he performs.

WTF are you talking about? For the record - I'm not handing Curlin the win - and I'll play against him - but this makes no sense. Sudan isn't wiring the field for two reasons: 1. he sucks and 2. Mission Approved. He won't get the easy lead he got at Golden Gate and Mission Approved won't get the easy lead he got at Woodbine - so neither of them can capitalize on a pace advantage to make up for a significant talent disadvantage. Better Talk Now is obviously over the hill (even though he'll be the one I'll bet because his last was ok) and Red Rocks appears to be as well but still has a shot. Grand Couturier needs :46 and 1:11 to win and won't get that and the Darley horse is slow and has never run a competitive race. If Curlin takes to the turf - which isn't definite - it would take a throw-back effort by one of the two BC winners for him to not win by daylight. Whether or not he wins will have little to nothing to do with how the race is run barring some unforeseen anomaly.

I'm looking forward to this race more than any race I can remember in my 10+ years of seriously following horse racing

I can't go against Curlin...so I'll throw him in a 3 horse tri-box with Red Rocks and Sudan

Lava Man, as pointed out in the article, is the only horse since Vanlandingham in 1985, to win Grade 1s on dirt and turf. This is a huge race. The biggest since the Kentucky Derby (well, maybe tied with the Belmont S.).

The tv networks just blew their opportunity on tomorrow's historic races. Unreal.

I don't think anybody disagrees with that.

Therefore I am pumped.

No scenarios necessary. I just want to see how he runs.

:tro: He's the best damn thing we've seen in a long while. While I'd like to bet against him. I can't.

I'll bet you 20 bucks Sudan wins.

PM me

Why would I want to risk what? $300 to win $20? No thanks. . .

The fan in me surely wants Curlin to win.

This whole race is kind of confusing me, because the Man O' War seems like a september prep race for the Breeders Cup, not a July "1st serious race of turf campaign" race...

The horseplayer in me thinks that 3/5 on Curlin is all for the fans. He has the feel of a 4-1 shot, but surely he will go off around even money or so.

Grand Couturier did way better than expected off of hibernation last out. He really looked like he wanted the extra furlong, and he gets the monkey off his back and goes with Borel again. This may be one of the purest turf horses in the game right now. Everybody seems to think that GC is a sluggish horse that needs suicidal fractions... guess we will get some indication today....

Better Talk Now is running without his rabbit? Any ideas why?

He's been running without the rabbit for a bit now, or at least at THE Fairgrounds. I really like him, old school for him, some at THE Fairgrounds made fun of his old style cut in the paddock this year, I said he's an old style boy. He looked great at THE Fairgrounds. And ran a nice race last out but had to check hard.

Anyway as far as Curlin, I just think this is very fun and exciting, win, place or last I don't care, it's something different and exciting. If I was anywhere near Belmont I'd be there in a "NY heartbeat". I looked into flights but it was outrageous, I am green with envy. To those going enjoy, it's a special day.