THE ASPIRING HORSEPLAYER

Three days people.  Just three short days and we’ll be able to view the greatness that is Curlin yet again.  Honestly, it’s a bit hard to get totally jazzed about the Woodward Stakes since he’ll likely face a small field, but it doesn’t matter - it’s Curlin!  He could be running by himself and I’d likely end up watching.

Saturday is of course the running of the Woodward at Saratoga.  The other day Curlin breezed 4 furlongs in :49.14 in his final tune up for his return to dirt.  After finishing 2nd in his initial turf try in the Man O’ War, sandwiched between winner Red Rocks and fellow former Breeder’s Cup Turf champion Better Talk Now, owner Jess Jackson and trainer Steve Asmussen have moved the colt off the grass and back to his preferred surface. 

So far we’ve only got a handful of likely entrants running against him. They’ll include A.P. Arrow, Wanderin Boy, Merchant Marine, Divine Park, and Star Plus.  There’s a slight chance that we may get Harlington and/or Past the Point as well.  This would suggest that the other owners believe they are running for place and show, and you can’t really blame them for thinking so. 

We obviously won’t be getting the Big Brown vs Curlin matchup that was much discussed by horse racing fans across the nation.  Much of that drama has died down now as the two colts appear headed on different courses for the remainder of their 2008 campaigns.  Whether Big Brown comes back in 2009 is a huge question.  Curlin, it would seem, still has the door open to a 2009 campaign as a 5-year-old.

I’ve droned on at great lengths about my love for Curlin in many a post here, so I’ll spare you my rah-rah “forward at the double quick, charge!” style of Curlin cheerleading - at least for the moment.  Instead, I’ll let Curlin do some of his own cheerleading. Or perhaps more correctly, I’ll let the awesome-terrific Vanessa Ng and her wonderful photographs of Curlin currently on display in a special “Curlin’s Corner” section of the main NYRA website do the talking for him. 

That’s right, I said “awesome-terrific.”  I trust you’ll understand I don’t combine multisyllabic expressions of awesomeness lightly.  When I say Vanessa is awesome-terrific, I totally mean it.  I’ve only had the pleasure of chatting with her a few times over at Cindy Dulay’s forum, but they rank among some of my favorite conversations with a passionate horse racing fan that I’ve ever had.  If you ever get the pleasure of hearing her talk about her love of Curlin, Swale, or Smarty Jones - it’s the kind of stuff that makes you want to believe in a particular horse with all of your heart, and let that heart burst with joy when they turn for home on top.  Rousing stuff indeed.  I’ll hold out hope for an exclusive interview with her as long as this site exists, no matter how unlikely that prospect might be.

Wonderful job there, Vanessa!  Those are now some of my all-time favorite Curlin photos. 

Speaking of CIndy’s forum, there’s a handicapper there that posts daily picks under the name of Dr. Swine Smeller that I’ve grown most fond of.  He gives out some live longshots, and win or lose his insights are highly entertaining stuff.  Some other posters have commented on it and I’ve come up with a theory.  I think for many of us handicapping becomes such a labor of love, that we often focus on the labor and forget about the love part.  We know we “have” to do it, just as a crossword puzzle junkie has to practice their trade - but how often do we approach it with absolute joy as opposed to mundane repetition?  I think that’s where he scores, at least in my opinion.  You can just tell he’s having fun as he’s going, and that’s really what being a horseplayer is all about.  Hats off to Dr. Swinesmeller.  I’ve been a bit rejuvenated in jumping into the past performances since reading his stuff.  I hope he starts a blog someday (if he doesn’t have one already).

But back to Curlin, Here’s hoping he looks as good on the track on Saturday as he has thus far throughout his 2008 campaign. 

Ah yes, “campaign.”  It’s great fun just using that word in an election year.  Forget Obama and McCain.  Curlin for President in 2008.  Here’s hoping he chooses Zenyatta as a running mate.