JC / Railbird

I was surprised to read in Alan Schuback’s DRF+ article yesterday that Paddy Power has Curlin at 14-1 to win The Arc. I was expecting somewhere between 6-1 and 10-1, not 14. Wonder how much longer that number will last …

Posted by Matt on July 1, 2008 @ 4:49 pm

If he wins his turf start, the odds will likely come down, but probably not by that much. Here’s a page that shows Arc ante-post odds from several services. Curlin ranges from 10 to 18.5, with Zarkava and Solider of Fortune the early favorites. He is getting slightly more action than Irish Derby winner Frozen Fire though …

Posted by Jessica on July 1, 2008 @ 4:57 pm

With all due respect, I didn’t see the work in quite the same way as the folks on the CD Web site. They wanted to see him lower his head in the lane and display a burst of finishing speed, but Curlin would not run like that type of turf horse. He would be more in the tradition — although maybe not on the front end — as Buck’s Boy and Double Booked. Horses with such a superb gallop on turf that they run you into the ground. Some commentators like to call Curlin a grinder, but I don’t think it’s meant in a complimentary sense. It implies a lack of brilliance. Dominance has many forms, which of course gives it its beauty. Curlin isn’t flamboyant, like a Ghostzapper, be he is an all-purpose star. And you know what? I bet it would be fun to watch him against top sprinters at seven furlongs.

Posted by John S. on July 1, 2008 @ 10:54 pm

I like the grinders. The flashy horses are fine, and I can appreciate their performances, but it’s horses like Curlin and Invasor that I find much more exciting to watch. They’re hardworking, full of heart, take no win for granted, and yet possessed of such presence and immense talent …

Posted by Jessica on July 2, 2008 @ 10:55 am