Alter sees similarities between Curlin's Approval and Jolie's Halo

 

Now an owner and breeder, the native Canadian has another potential star on his hands in Curlin’s Approval, a 3-year-old filly he bred at Bridlewood Farm in Ocala. Winner of the Added Elegance Stakes Aug. 28 at Gulfstream Park, she will get her biggest test in Saturday’s $100,000 Rampart (G3).

 

The only sophomore in the field of seven, Curlin’s Approval will break from Post 3 with jockey Emisael Jaramillo, who has been aboard for two of the filly’s three wins, both at Gulfstream, where she is three-for-four lifetime.

 

“She’s a special filly and I’m proud that I bred her and that she was brought up at Bridlewood, where I’ve kept my horses for 30 years,” Alter said. “When I took notice to breed to Curlin, he was $15,000 and nobody seemed to think he had the future that I thought he had. I kept breeding to him; I actually have six of them. I bred up through $40,000, and now he’s standing for $150,000.”

 

Unraced at 2, Curlin’s Approval won her June 5 unveiling by four lengths before running fifth in the Azalea Stakes July 2. She came back to romp by five in an optional claiming allowance July 22 prior to the Added Elegance, then followed up running fourth in the Raven Run (G2) Oct. 22 at Keeneland.

 

Curlin’s Approval has worked regularly for her return, producing bullet half-mile moves in 46.55 seconds Nov. 9 and 45.90 Nov. 30. She breezed a half-mile in 47.63 Monday for trainer Marty Wolfson.

 

The one-mile Rampart will be the first race beyond seven furlongs for Curlin’s Approval, who was also nominated to the six-furlong Sugar Swirl (G3) on Saturday’s five-stakes card.

 

“I’m going in the mile because the three-quarters looks like a Hail Mary in a football game with all the speed in it. It’s a good chance to stretch out,” Alter said. “It looks like a pretty calculated chance, because when she breezes a half-mile like she did in 45-and-change, she gallops out three-quarters in 1:12. I don’t push for bullet works; she does it on her own. Marty Wolfson does the same thing. He doesn’t look for bullet breezes, but every once in a while one comes along that does it so easy and naturally. We’ll see on Saturday. There’s nothing for sure when there’s a race, but I feel very confident.”

 

In Curlin’s Approval, Alter sees similar traits to the best horse he ever trained, Jolie’s Halo, who would end his career in 1993 with more than $1.2 million in purse earnings.

 

“When I was training full-time, I had a horse from Bridlewood called Jolie’s Halo, who became No. 1 in the nation by all the sportswriters for a certain length of time. I see something in her that I saw in him. She seems to get better and better,” Alter said. “The look in her eye after a breeze or after a race is something that you don’t see often.