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Curlin, by Smart Strike out of Sheriffs Deputy, by Deputy Minister, is a powerfully made chestnut colt with an irregular star and stripe.

Curlin won his debut impressively when he first got to the races on February 3, winning a maiden race at Gulfstream by 12 3/4-lengths. He followed this with a second win stepping straight up to graded company in the Rebel Stakes (G3) at Oaklawn Park. He won off by by 5 1/4-lengths, defeating Kentucky Derby hopefuls Officer Rocket (GB) and Teuflesberg.

In the Arkansas Derby (G2) the colt annihilated the the field, cruising down the stretch to win the race with only mild encouragement by a record 10 1/2-lengths.

"He went around the leader with his ears up and still doing it easily," said winning jockey Robby Albarado. "I did hit once underhanded just to make sure he was staying focused. I was impressed with how much he had improved between this start and his last one."

Trainer Steve Asmussen wanted Curlin to answer questions that needed to be answered in the Arkansas Derby, and he got the answers he hoped for.

"Running straight to the wire, not drifting out," Asmussen said. "All of those things were what we had hoped for, and it happened."

The chestnut colt will try to follow the same path to the Kentucky Derby as Smarty Jones, who like Curlin was undefeated when he captured the Rebel Stakes and Arkansas Derby (G2) en route to a victory in the 2004 Kentucky Derby

He is extremely workmanlike despite only three career starts. In his morning works, he does everything on his own, without urging. He drops his head and shoulder in the stretch and levels off into a huge smooth stride gliding over the ground. He is a cool customer and takes everything in his stride which will help him during the Derby frenzy.

 :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: “CURLIN” - A FAMILY NAMESAKE ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Kentucky bred Curlin, was purchased at the 2005 Keeneland Yearling Sales by Midnight Cry Stable co-managed by Shirley A. Cunningham, Jr. and William Gallion. Curlin bears the proud name of Cunningham’s great-grandfather of the United States Colored Troop (USCT), PRIVATE CHARLES CURLIN (10/17/1843-8/22/1925).

Charles Curlin was the enslaved property of James Curling of Golden Pond, Trigg County, Kentucky.  He enlisted on October 17, 1864 in the United States Army and was later assigned to Company A USCT 13th Heavy Artillery Unit which was organized at Camp Nelson, Kentucky. The 13th Regiment provided military service primarily in Western Kentucky and the Central Bluegrass, as well as garrison duty at Camp Nelson and protection of Smithland and Lexington. Despite family folklore that often credited Curlin as working with members of Kentucky’s Confederate Army, documented research revealed that his county government military volunteer service could have been for either Confederate or Union Officers.

Curlin was honorably discharged, sustaining service related injuries during his tour of duty and received a military pension from the Army.  By the time he was discharged from military sevice, the spelling of his name had changed from “Curling” to “Curlin”, a spelling and pronunciation he retained for the remainder of his life. At the close of his military service, Curlin returned to civilian life as a farmer, coal miner and raised his family in Christian, Hopkins and Trigg Counties Kentucky, dying in Tobacco Port, Stewart County, Tennessee on August 22, 1925.

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