Another easy work for Curlin

[The Indomitable DrugS]

He breezed a half mile in 51....by the sounds of the reports, yet another very easy work where he was restrained throughout.

I was kind of hoping he'd finally be allowed to do something for a change...certainly something quick would get him back on his toes...and I believe, it would be to his benefit going into the Preakness.

I'm certainly not going to be holding my breath that he will be taken away from the pony in the pre-race, and having Robby give him a brisk warm-up and getting him on his toes.

When Asmussen got this horse a few months ago---he was getting a horse with a milers pedigree off a very fleet wire-to-wire win sprinting---through some ultra conservative handling...it appears as though he's doing a fine job of turning the horse into a stretch running router.

He seems more intent on trying to not ruin the horse--instead of doing what I believe will give him his best chance of a victory in a Classic race. I can understand it--but, from a betting standpoint, I wish he'd have done something more geared to sharpening speed than stamina and conditioning. I believe he has more than enough of the latter...he needs a return to his preferred stalking tactics in the Preakness, and the pace figures to be MUCH faster than it was in the slow-paced Arkansas Derby.

Hopefully he can real comfortably stalk a live Preakness pace...and has built enough seperation between himself and Street Sense....as Curlin is a very well made grinding kind of horse...who simply doesn't have the big turn-of-foot of Street Sense...if Street Sense doesn't have Curlin beat by the 1/8 pole...he's very likely not getting by.