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Breeders Cup Classic news: Big Brown, Curlin work

by Jarrod Horak on October 8th, 2008

Big Brown and Curlin, the two likely favs in the 2008 Breeders’ Cup Classic, both had morning activity.

Big Brown worked six furlongs over a good Aqueduct turf course in 1:14.64 on Oc. 7th. The move was in company with stablemate Salute the Count, a possible entrant in the newly formed Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint.

The dogs were up, about 12 feet out, and the Richard Dutrow runner completed his final two furlongs in :23.85 while galloping out seven panels in 1:29.26. The 2008 Kentucky Derby hero is expected to have two more works before heading to Santa Anita on Oct. 21st.

Curlin had his first activity over Santa Anita’s new Pro-Ride synthetic surface, getting four furlongs in a pedestrian :52.80 on Oct. 6th.

The Steve Asmussen trainee will work in company on Oct. 13th, and we should get a better gauge of his ability to handle synthetic ground next week.

Curlin’s stablemate Student Council, also gearing up for the Classic, breezed six furlongs in 1:15.60

In other Classic developments, Smooth Air is being pointed to the big race. The Hutcheson and Ohio Derby winner was last seen taking the Needles Stakes over the Calder grass, and note that trainer Bernie Stutts also nominated him to the Oak Tree Derby for grassy three-year-olds on the Breeders’ Cup undercard. He will head to SoCal on Oct. 18th. Below is a replay of the 2008 Ohio Derby, courtesty of YouTube.

Whitney and Mass Cap hero Commentator will not participate in the BC Classic, and the Nick Zito trainee is likely done for the year. He will remain in training to shoot for a third Whitney title in 2009.

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POSTED IN: Breeders' Cup, California Racing, Handicapping, Horses, Jockeys, Miscellaneous, Racetracks, Stakes Races, Synthetic Tracks, Trainers