No one's talking about Curlin at Pimlico

Curlin finished third in the Kentucky Derby, no small feat for a horse competing in the fourth race of his career. He might as well have been last, considering the lack of attention he's received at Pimlico Race Course this week before the Preakness.

Before the Derby, everyone was talking about Curlin. The chestnut colt was 3-0 and the morning-line favorite in the nation's biggest race.

Now, he's been little more than an afterthought. The hot horses are Street Sense and Hard Spun, who finished 1-2 at Churchill Downs and are the top two picks in Saturday's Preakness.

Curlin, meanwhile, is being regarded as little more than one of the other seven horses in the race.

"We're trying to win the Preakness," Curlin trainer Steve Asmussen said. "We've got an outstanding 3-year-old that's very healthy at an extremely important time of the year, with an opportunity of winning a classic. That's the focus."

This will be the third Preakness for Asmussen, who finished fifth in 2000 with Snuck In and fifth in 2002 with Easyfromthegitgo.

"Those were nice horses, but those horses weren't capable of doing what we feel this horse is capable of doing," said Scott Blasi, Asmussen's assistant.

Curlin did not compete as a 2-year-old, then won his first three races in impressive fashion, capping the run with a 10 1/2-length romp in Arkansas Derby. That set him up for a much-anticipated ride at Churchill Downs, where his winning streak came to an abrupt halt.

Although he rallied from 14th to third, Curlin finished eight lengths behind the winner, leaving those who picked him to win bitterly disappointed. His handlers, however, felt no need to apologize.

"The horse ran a great race. No excuses," Blasi said. "Street sense is a brilliant horse with a ton of seasoning, but I think we're capable of winning these races."

In the Derby, jockey Robby Albarado was forced to go five wide in a valiant effort to work toward the front of a 20-horse field. The horse was willing, but unable to complete the comeback.

Breaking from the fourth post in a nine-horse field, the formidable colt won't have to pick his way through a massive field to make it to the finish line.

"There's not so much traffic. Things don't happen coming into the first turn that you have no control over," Blasi said. "It just gives you a chance."

Curlin may have let down his backers in the Derby, but the horse apparently had no difficulty coping with his first defeat.

"I've seen horses sulk after the race, but this horse was very upbeat and energetic," Blasi said. "He gave all the signs that the race really hadn't stressed him out. That's a very positive sign for all of us."

Curlin is a 7-2 choice in the Preakness, third behind Street Sense (7-5) and Hard Spun (5-2). If Curlin gained anything from his experience in Kentucky, then he just might earn a measure of redemption in Baltimore.

"The horse has come out of the Derby in great shape, trained with a lot of energy and shipped in wonderful," Blasi said. "It's up to him and Robbie from here on out."