12.17.20
Breeze Easy’s multiple stakes winning and graded stakes placed runner, Curlin’s Honor, has been retired to stud and will begin his career at Pleasant Acres Farm, Florida, for 2020.
A record-breaking $1,500,000 two-year-old in training purchase, Curlin’s Honor developed into an extremely versatile and talented multiple stakes winner, who has a sound claim to being the fastest son of his sire Curlin.
A maiden special weight over six furlongs on dirt at Keeneland on his only start at two, Curlin’s Honor made it two-for-two with an allowance victory – again over six furlongs on dirt – on his debut at three. He maintained his undefeated record at sprint distance in the Woodstock Stakes on the all-weather at Woodbine, scoring by 2¼ lengths in 1:08.85, just 0.8 seconds off the track-record.
Showing himself equally effective on the turf, Curlin’s Honor also delivered an impressive performance in the one mile Artie Schiller Stakes at Aqueduct. Off the pace early, in the words of his rider Joel Rosario “..he really exploded..” delivering a :22 and change final quarter to gain the day. In the process he ran a 100 Beyer Speedfigure, while defeating grade one winner Voodoo Song, graded stakes winners Caribou Club, Dr. Edgar, and stakes winner Gidu.
Curlin’s Honor has also gained places in seven other stakes events, six graded, on both the main track and on turf, and between 6-9½ furlongs. He was beaten little more than a length in a renewal of the Jacques Cartier Stakes (G3) run in a near track-record 1:08.55, and over half a furlong further was only a length shy of victory in the Bold Venture Stakes, a race run in a time 0.52 seconds off the track-record At seven furlongs Curlin’s Honor missed by just a neck in the Paradise Creek Stakes, in a rapid 1:20.44, and he was beaten only a length in the Connaught Cup (G3), in an even faster 1:20.29. In addition to his stakes victory over a mile in the Artie Schiller Stakes, Curlin’s Honor further demonstrated his ability to carry his speed when second in King Edward Stakes (G3), beaten just a length, in 1:32.95, and when coming within a neck of victory in the nine furlong Ontario Derby (G3) in a time only 1.06 seconds outside the track-record.
Curlin’s Honor is a son of the magnificent Curlin. A two-time Horse of the Year, and also an Eclipse Award winner as Champion Three-Year-Old and Champion Older Horse. Now one of North America’s most important sires, Curlin is sire of 72 stakes winners, 35 graded, including Champions Stellar Wind, Vino Rosso and Good Magic, classic winners Palace Malice, Exaggerator and Curalina.
Curlin’s Honor is half-brother to the stakes winners Swinger’s Party and Hubba Shake. His dam, Franscat, is a multiple wining sprinter, who is a granddaughter of Storm Cat. His granddam, Hopespringsagain, is half-sister to the brilliant three-time grade one winning miler Ogygian, and to the dam of the Metropolitan Mile (G1) victory Honor and Glory, Champion Freshman Sire and responsible for 71 stakes winners, 39 graded. Hopespringsagain, is out of Gonfalon, a half-sister to the breed-shaping sire, Fappiano, and is out of a half-sister to Quiet Charm, the granddam of classic sire, Quiet American. Curlin’s Honor’s fifth dam is the Tartan Farm foundation mare, Cequillo, ancestress of a remarkable 31 individual stallions that have sired stakes winners, 17 that are graded stakes winners, and 11 that are grade one sires.
Breeze Easy LLC will be supporting Curlin’s Honor in his first year and among the mares they are sending is First Grade Girl (an American Pharoah half-sister to 2020 grade one placed two-year-old Illuminantion, out grade one placed Light the City), Bootery (dam of millionaire Neck ‘n Neck) and Be All You Can Be (a War Front daughter closely related to Champion Lines of Battle and grade one winners War Flag and Civil Union).