By Don Agriss, Horse Racing Editor
Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - Now that the Triple Crown races have been completed, attention turns to the handicap division of thoroughbred racing. Saturday afternoon at Churchill Downs the $1 million Stephen Foster Handicap begins in earnest the trek toward the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic.
The 1 1/8 mile Foster Handicap features reigning Horse of the Year Curlin with nine challengers set to take on the four-year-old. Curlin, trained by Steve Asmussen, will be making his first start since late March when he easily defeated 11 rivals in the $6 million Dubai World Cup.
"I'm very anxious to run him," Asmussen said on Thursday. "He's a very exciting horse to be around, and this is his purpose. He's very dialed-in. I think he's an absolutely gorgeous animal, but I'm biased."
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