Steve Asmussen Training

A very talented field goes to post today in the Belmont Stakes. Since I've predicted a Curlin runaway, just a word about what I'm seeing as something new and interesting, the training of Steve Asmussen.

Asmussen, justifiably or unjustifiably--we'll never really know--has suffered the slings and arrows over his drug illegals with the public view of Asmussen hardly helped by the suspended lawyers owning shares in Curlin. I've joined in these negative opinions several times on the blog though I've hedged them with my proverbial "but, unknown" due to insufficient information.

Why have I hedged on Asmussen besides wanting to avoid jumping to conclusions on tidbits? After studying recently the 2006 KY Derby past performances in the DRF, I concluded that Asmussen's horse was one of the best conditioned horses in that Derby, and that therefore maybe with Asmussen there is more than immediately meets the eye.

Now with more information available and Asmussen in the spotlight, while I'm yet to be ready to totally change my negative opinion, I am seeing on the videos an educated, thoughtful, well spoken fellow and also possibly a new method in the training of his horse.

Again have to hedge this that I'm without any inside info on Curlin's exact training. We know a few things though, and I want to highlight my above description of Asmussen as "thoughtful". There appears nothing accidental or haphazard about the man, and I'm positive this extends to his training. What is being done with Curlin is well planned, and as I'm here noting, possibly very well imagined.

What we do know is that the horse has been galloping two miles and seeing the track consistently on his slow days. Nothing new there for the capable trainer. There has also been a steady diet of scheduled races at less than four weeks apart. This has interestingly been interspersed with a series of slow 4f breezes in the :52-53 range. Who breezes 4f in :52? Has anyone ever seen this? And, if Asmussen is deliberate and thoughtful, why is he breezing the horse in this manner.

A little background first:

The Triple Crown dilemma for any trainer is actually getting the horse to the races without injury. The theory in hard training would be to get 'em "in shape" to stand the rigors. If they break down, at least you've done all you can. Or you can go the Brother Derek or D. W. Lukas route and do so little there is no way the horse could get hurt pre-race.

But, with Curlin we're seeing a unique Asmussen formula to get his horse to the races--appropriate slow day galloping, frequent racing, and breezes just barely sufficient to maintain both structure and performance. Are we seeing for the first time "maintenance"" in all its facets at an absolutely appropriate level and then you let your talented horse take it from there in the races?

This hit me the other day as I was considering it as possibly something new. I'll have to give it some further thought.