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Curlin catches Street Sense in last jump to win Preakness Stakes

By JAY PRIVMAN DRF

Michael J. Marten/Horsephotos

Curlin

BALTIMORE - Inexperience may have betrayed Curlin when he suffered the first loss of his career with a third-place finish in the Kentucky Derby, but the experience gleaned from that race paid off two weeks later when he rallied boldly in the stretch to catch Derby winner Street Sense and capture the 132nd Preakness Stakes on Saturday at Pimlico.

Curlin ($8.80), the second choice, stumbled slightly at the start, settled near the back of the pack, and was passed by Street Sense as the field came around the far turn and into the stretch. But he resolutely kept to his task and wore down Street Sense in the final yards to win by a head.

Hard Spun, the Derby runner-up, was another four lengths back in third. C P West was fourth and was followed, in order, by Circular Quay, King of the Roxy, Mint Slewlep, Xchanger, and Flying First Class.

Curlin completed 1 3/16 miles, the shortest of the Triple Crown races, in 1:53.46 on a track rated fast despite rain showers that fell sporadically, beginning a little more than an hour before the start of the race. His time is the equivalent of the Preakness record, 1:53 2/5, shared by Tank’s Prospect (1985) and Louis Quatorze (1996), when the race was timed in fifths of a second instead of hundredths.

Curlin earned $600,000 from a total purse of $1 million.

Robby Albarado, who rode Curlin, bounced back to compete after being thrown from Einstein during an accident in the Dixie Handicap earlier on the card. He scored his first victory in a Triple Crown race, as did Curlin’s trainer, Steve Asmussen.

2007 Preakness Stakes Winners, Results and Payouts
Pimlico Race Course, Baltimore, Maryland

Off: 6:18 | 1 3/16 Miles | 3 Year Olds | Purse: $1,000,000

#	Horse		Jockey		Weight		Win	Place	Show
4	Curlin		Albarado R J	126		8.80	3.80	2.80
8	Street Sense	Borel C H	126			3.00	2.40
7	Hard Spun	Pino M G	126				  3.00

Times in 5ths: :224 :453 1:094 1:343 1:532

Times in 100ths: :22.83 :45.75 1:09.80 1:34.68 1:53.46

Also ran: C P West, Circular Quay, King of the Roxy, Mint Slewlep, Xchanger and Flying First Class

Winning Trainer: Asmussen Steven M - Owner: Stonestreet Stables, Padua Stables, Bolton, George and Midnight Cry Stables

$2 Pick 3 (12-9-4) 3 Correct Paid $349.20 Pick 3 Pool $430,670

$2 Pick 4 (1/4/6-12-9-4) 4 Correct Paid $440.20 Pick 4 Pool $1,544,672

$1 Pick 6 (2/5/8/10-2/4-1-4-6/12-9-4) 6 Correct Paid $789.50 Pick 6 Pool $417,501

$1 Pick 6 (2/5/8/10-2/4-1/4/6-12-9-4) 5 Correct Paid $15.20 Pick 6 Pool

$2 Daily Double (9-4) Paid $42.20 Daily Double Pool $474,101

$2 Daily Double (B.E.SUSAN-PREAKNESS 2-4) Paid $34.80 Daily Double Pool $586,774

$2 Exacta (4-8) Paid $23.20

$1 Superfecta (4-8-7-9) Paid $340.30

$2 Trifecta (4-8-7) Paid $50.00

Steve Asmussen said he would consider the 2007 Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park for Curlin. The final leg of the Triple Crown is the 2007 Belmont Stakes on June 9 in New York. Carl Nafzger, the trainer of Street Sense, said he would not go on to the Belmont Stakes.

tags: Preakness Stakes, Preakness Stakes winner, Preakness Stakes result, Curlin

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