Curlin

It's a toss-up, really, as to who made the bigger splash in 2017--the Don Alberto Corporation itself, or their superstar filly Unique Bella (Tapit). Three years ago, Don Alberto Corporation continued their traditional annual shopping spree at the fall breeding stock sales, spending a combined $8.3 million at Keeneland and Fasig-Tipton, plus an additional $3.35 million in partnership purchases at the Keeneland November Sale. Meanwhile, their $400,000 2015 Keeneland September purchase Unique Bella shone bright as a 3-year-old with four consecutive graded stakes wins and a later victory in the...

Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen surpassed Dale Romans as the winningest trainer in the history of Churchill Downs Friday, sending out Drop Dead Gorgeous (Strong Mandate) to win the opening race on the program. The victory was his 738th at the historic Louisville oval. "If anyone knows American horse racing, they know what Churchill Downs means to the sport," Asmussen said. "This is a very significant honor. I know the people who have been in this spot before, and been here consistently, and for us to have won the most...

Xtrema (Exaggerator) rallied to a convincing first-out score to give her freshman sire (by Curlin) his first winner while going out for the same connections that campaigned the 2016 GI Preakness S. hero. Breaking as the 21-10 second choice in a five-horse group, the $55,000 KEESEP grad tracked a speed duel from a distant third through a sharp :21.75 quarter. Appearing one-paced on the turn, the chestnut came alive entering the final furlong and blew past the tiring pace actors outside the sixteenth pole to score by four lengths over...

6th-SA, $50K, Msw, 3yo/up, 6 1/2f, 6:03 p.m. ET CEZANNE (Curlin), the second-highest-priced 2-year-old to sell at public auction when bringing $3.65 million (:10) at last year's Fasig-Tipton March sale, makes his long-awaited debut after a string of works highlighted by a bullet :47 3/5 half (1/47) last Saturday. Sharing a name with the French post-impressionist artist, the colt looks to match his career to the masterpiece that is his pedigree. Third dam, 2007 Broodmare of the Year Better Than Honour (Deputy Minister), sold for a world-record $14 million at...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency WELL-BRED BERNARDINI DEBUTS AT CHURCHILL 3rd-CD, $79K, Msw, 3yo, 6 1/2f, 2:00p.m. Colts Neck Stables' SHADOW BOAT (Bernardini) makes his career bow in this spot for trainer Jorge Duarte, Jr. The $80,000 KEESEP buy is a half-sibling to GI Breeders' Cup F/M Turf victress and millionaire Shared Account (Pleasantly Perfect), who is the dam of GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winner and 'TDN Rising Star' Sharing (Speightstown), who makes her 3-year-old debut in Saturday's Tepin S.; and SW Riley's Choice (Distorted Humor). Shadow Boat...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 8th-CD, $81K, Alw/Opt. Clm ($75K), 7f, 3yo, f, 4:40 p.m. ET Two well-regarded sophomore fillies who earned lofty Beyer numbers in first-out victories will knock heads in this seven-furlong first-level allowance under the Twin Spires Friday. OXO Equine's CENTER AISLE (Into Mischief) was the third-highest lot to sell at last year's Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream sale when hammering for $1.5 million, and backed that price up with a strong debut success Mar. 29 at Gulfstream, stalking the speed and edging clear to score by 3 3/4 lengths...

Hailing from the same shedrow of Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen isn't the only thing that recent, ultra-impressive Oaklawn Park winners Casual (f, 3, by Curlin) and Volatile (c, 4, by Violence) have in common. The promising duo--both bred in Kentucky by Hill 'n' Dale Equine Holdings, Inc. and Stretch Run Ventures, LLC--trace their lineage back to the millionaire and brilliant two-time Saratoga Grade I winner and the Asmussen-trained Lady Tak (Mutakddim). After acquiring an interest privately in the GI Test S. and GI Ballerina H. heroine from owners...

The present crisis will perhaps find horsemen a little more stoical than most. When it comes to biding their time, after all, the Thoroughbred gives them plenty of practice. Nonetheless it must test the patience more than anything to have a racehorse just back to fitness this spring after a long lay-off, only to find most of the racing program immersed by the pandemic. What a relief for his connections then that Global Campaign (Curlin) was able to find a landing strip for his touchdown, after a nine-month absence, at...

11th-Gulfstream, $41,000, Alw (C), Opt. Clm ($75,000), 4-25, 4yo/up, 7f, 1:21.71, ft. GLOBAL CAMPAIGN (c, 4, Curlin--Globe Trot, by A.P. Indy), named a 'TDN Rising Star' off a debut victory over track and trip last January, bounced back from a fifth to Code of Honor (Noble Mission {GB}) in the GII Fountain of Youth S. to defeat next-out GI Belmont S. winner Sir Winston (Awesome Again) in the GIII Peter Pan S. Connections passed on the Belmont and the $250,000 KEESEP yearling was last seen finishing third in the GII...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 8th-GP, $60K, Msw, 3yo, f, 7f, 4:25 p.m. Bill Mott sends out first-timer and WinStar homebred PARIS LIGHTS (Curlin) in this test. Her dam Paris Bikini (Bernardini), a $425,000 purchase at Keeneland January in 2016, is a three-quarter sister to Grade III winner and dual Grade I-placed America (A.P. Indy). The latter is the dam of the now 2-year-old colt Virtuous Intention (Curlin), who fetched $1.5 million from West Point, Woodford, Siena, Valdes, Singleton, Sandbrook & Freeman at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale. This is...

5th-Oaklawn, $60,000, Msw, 4-11, 3yo, f, 6f, 1:09.24, ft. CASUAL (f, 3, Curlin--Lady Tak {MGISW, $1,160,782}, by Mutakddim), off at 9-2 following a string of sharp morning drills, settled just behind the leading draft led by Millennium Force (Declaration of War) through a quick :21.60 quarter. Still cruising through a half mile in :44.85, Casual was locked and loaded entering the home turn, but was still blocked behind a wall of horses. Finally finding the sliver of daylight she needed, she cut her way through rivals in the stretch, and...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency WELL-BRED CURLIN FILLY DEBUTS AT OAKLAWN 5th-OP, $60K, Msw, 3yo, f, 6f, 3:41p.m. Steve Asmussen unveils a blue-blooded filly in Hill 'n' Dale and Stretch Run homebred CASUAL (Curlin). Out of MGISW and millionaire Lady Tak (Mutakddim), the chestnut is a half-sister to SW & GSP Japanese runner and millionaire A Shin Spartan (Zensational and SW Melody Lady (Unbridled's Song), who is the dam of SW & GSP Buy Sell Hold (Violence). TJCIS PPs   PLETCHER UNVEILS EXPENSIVE LIAM'S MAP 8th-GP, $45K, Msw, 3yo/up, 1mT,...