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Neil, Hard Buck was an American turf horse. He ran second to the mighty Doyen in what may have been the worst King George ever run.
Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe
Coral: 9-2 Soldier Of Fortune, 6 New Approach, 7 Getaway, Zarkava, 10 TartanBearer, 12 Vision D’Etat, 14 Famous Name, Peeping Fawn, 16 Casual Conquest, Curlin, Duke Of Marmalade, 20 Sun Classique, Youmzain, 25 barAbove is the latest betting for the Arc from Corals,IMO 16-1 for Curlin is the value of the year even though he is unproven on turf and i will be taking some of that.The positives i look at are,He is clearly the best horse in training in the world today albeit on dirt,He can travel and adapt to the long distance travel and demands of overseas racing,That point is very important in coming over for a race as tough as the Arc,Just look at Lava man who hated travelling when he flew over for the DBC meeting this year,A class horse in his own right but not able to adapt,You need an adaptable horse which Curlin is.
If the connections run Curlin in a turf race and he wins his price will plummet,The Arc will be all over i say especially if his turf race is something along the lines of the Grade 1 Man O War stakes.I read he will be shipped to France and a run in the Prix Foy will be his prep race,What price for the Arc if he wins that??
I am also betting the Curlin doubters will be changing their tune if he does win his US turf and a French prep race.The horse is simply pure class,speed and muscle,A typical strong galloping american dirt horse who may just teach the turf horses a thing or too when asked in october.Whatever happens,Seeing Curlin in the Arc will be mouthwatering and heres hoping more American horse come over.
He has a half brother and sister Secret Wedge and Deputy who were both equally as good on turf as dirt, going on the Sheet #’s. Course it’s all relative, so it’d be easier for them than him to attain that as they were a deal slower to begin with.
If he comes, he loses. Sheer arrogance to think he can translate dirt form to top class turf.
Obviously our dictionaries contain different explanations for the word arrogance.
They are going to try him probably in a Grade 1 there first. Then they are going to come over and train up to the Prix Foy. A failure at both points will lead them not to pursue the challenge any further.
And they really have a big advantage over most other American challengers coming over to Europe-in that the trainers brother is an Arc de Triomphe winning jockey and was based in Chantilly for years.
Surely arrogance would be to rubbish your opponents and turn up only 3-4 days before the event?
I hope so too.
More money’s always useful 
At least we know he’ll be handled better than the woeful way that Deep Impact was trained up to the Arc.
I made a packet that day. How about you?
I hope so too.
More money’s always useful At least we know he’ll be handled better than the woeful way that Deep Impact was trained up to the Arc.
I made a packet that day. How about you?
Ouch… Thats gotta hurt!!!
IMO he’ll be humped in the arc. New Approach and Vision D’Etat look like serious arc horses, not to mention Soldier of fortune, Tartan Bearer, Casual Conquest, Youmzain and Lucarno, who may have more to come. Happy that Curlin will be this years hype horse, if the yanks come over and back him like the japs did with deep impacto-san then there will be some amazing PM prices on the day, althoughy I dont think we’ll ever see betting like 2006 ever again.
Deep Impact was unbeatable as well I seem to remember in the led up to 2006
Hope he does come, will get some serious value on the likes of New Approach and the SoldierCurlin has demolished everything in his past over the last year. If he can make the transition from dirt to turf then surely he’s a massive favourite.
16/1 is massive if you ask me, the Stephen Forster was a handicap…he turned it into a cakewalk giving at least 10lb to everything. If there was a horse over here doing that on teh turf he would be 1/2 or less for the Arc. Again it all depends on the dirt/turf transition…I look forward to the Man O’ War with baited breath.
I hope Curlin does act well on the turf, he’s a fabulous horse who would add a lot of excitement to the Arc. Unlike Deep Impact he’ll be properly prepared for the race if he does come over with using the Prix Foy as a warm up and if he can show his best ability on Turf I see no reason why he couldn’t be very competitive. His owner has been a breath of fresh air with the way he has campaigned the horse and I’d really look forward to the prospect of Curlin lining up against the best we’ve got over here.
Deep Impact was unbeatable as well I seem to remember in the led up to 2006
Hope he does come, will get some serious value on the likes of New Approach and the SoldierAny horse is beatable; they are not machines.
Please don’t underestimate American dirt horses as well as their connections who are not so naive as their Japanese counterparts. Actually, they are so shrewd as was shown in their excessively cautious preparations in the Dubai World Cup. Who could have expected them in the race on DIRT?
Mr Asmussen is not like Mr Ikee, the trainer of Deep Impact who had been under a huge pressure of ‘MUST WIN’ atmosphere back home; it would be New Approach or SOF this time who find themselved in the same situation as DI’s while Curlin would be quite easy because a defeat wouldn’t deprive him of any honour which has been already established in America and Dubai. A win would be just a bonus–a big one, though.
In a word, As Geraldinho wrote: ‘It all depends on the dirt/turf transition.’
Having said that, I’m not so sure of whether it works.
Personally, I’d test him right off the plane and tell the pilot to keep the engines running so’s Curlin can make it to his back up target; the world powerlifting championships in the old DDR.
Well we now know that Curlin is banned from racing in New York-so the Man O’ War Stakes on the Turf and both of the Grade 1s on the dirt at Saratoga and the Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont in October are all off the agenda.
If they don’t want to head west and test him on the Polytrack in the Pacific Classic-then really a switch to turf with a 1st run or two at Arlington Park is looking one of the few options.
The prospect of an attempt at the Arc has probably increased-but what are the rules about licencing owners in France?
More money’s always useful 
Hope he does come, will get some serious value on the likes of New Approach and the Soldier
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