The colt was named for Charles Curlin, an African-American slave from western Kentucky who fought for the Union Army with the United States Colored Troops in the American Civil War. One of his original owners, through his interest in Midnight Cry Stables, is Charles Curlin's great, great grandson.
Curlin won the 2007 Preakness Stakes on May 19, beating the Kentucky Derby winner and favorite Street Sense by a short head. Curlin stumbled out from the gate but was able to maintain his balance. Street Sense took the lead around the 3/16 marker when Curlin made his move. Curlin fought Street Sense neck and neck the rest of the way when Curlin was able to stick his head out in front and win the race with a time of 1:53.46, the second fastest in Preakness history (Preakness record 1:53 2/5ths set by Secretariat, 1973, and later equalled by Tank's Prospect, 1985, and Louis Quatorze, 1996).
He has ridden in eight Kentucky Derbys with his best results coming on third-place finishers Steppenwolfer in 2006 and Curlin in 2007. He also rode Steppenwolfer to a fourth-place finish in the Belmont Stakes.
He is the regular jockey for the 3-year-old colt Curlin who was the favorite and finished third in the 2007 Kentucky Derby. Albarado won his first Triple Crown at the 2007 Preakness Stakes aboard Curlin, edging out Derby-winner Street Sense.
Robby Albarado was voted the 2004 George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award.
Steven Mark Asmussen (born November 18, 1965, in Gettysburg, South Dakota) is an American Thoroughbred racehorse trainer. Born into a horse racing family, his parents, Keith and Marilyn "Sis" Asmussen, are both trainers who run El Primero Training Center off the Mines Road in Laredo, the seat of Webb County in south Texas. His older brother, Cash Asmussen, is a retired Eclipse Award-winning jockey and a champion in Europe.
Asmussen is the first Laredoan to have a horse win any of the three legs of the Triple Crown.
| Year | Winner | Jockey | Trainer | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Curlin | Robby Albarado | Steve Asmussen | 1:53.46 |
| 2006 | Bernardini | Javier Castellano | Thomas Albertrani | 1:54.65 |
| 2005 | Afleet Alex | Jeremy Rose | Tim Ritchey | 1:55.04 |
| 2004 | Smarty Jones | Stewart Elliott | John Servis | 1:55.59 |
| 2003 | Funny Cide | Jose Santos | Barclay Tagg | 1:55.61 |
| 2002 | War Emblem | Victor Espinoza | Bob Baffert | 1:56 2/5 |
| 2001 | Point Given | Gary Stevens | Bob Baffert | 1:55 2/5 |
| 2000 | Red Bullet | Jerry Bailey | Joe Orseno | 1:56 |
| 1999 | Charismatic | Chris Antley | D. Wayne Lukas | 1:55 1/5 |
| 1998 | Real Quiet | Kent Desormeaux | Bob Baffert | 1:54 4/5 |
| 1997 | Silver Charm | Gary Stevens | Bob Baffert | 1:54 2/5 |
| 1996 | Louis Quatorze | Pat Day | Nick Zito | 1:53 2/5 |
| 1995 | Timber Country | Pat Day | D. Wayne Lukas † | 1:54 2/5 |
| 1994 | Tabasco Cat | Pat Day | D. Wayne Lukas | 1:56 2/5 |
| 1993 | Prairie Bayou | Mike Smith | Tom Bohannan | 1:56 3/5 |
| 1992 | Pine Bluff | Chris McCarron | Tom Bohannan | 1:55 3/5 |
| 1991 | Hansel | Jerry Bailey | Frank Brothers | 1:54 |
| 1990 | Summer Squall | Pat Day | Neil Howard | 1:53 3/5 |
| 1989 | Sunday Silence | Pat Valenzuela | Charlie Whittingham | 1:53 4/5 |
| 1988 | Risen Star | Eddie Delahoussaye | Louie Roussel III | 1:56 1/5 |
| 1987 | Alysheba | Chris McCarron | Jack Van Berg | 1:55 4/5 |
| 1986 | Snow Chief | Alex Solis | Melvin Stute | 1:54 4/5 |
| 1985 | Tank's Prospect | Pat Day | D. Wayne Lukas | 1:53 2/5 |
| 1984 | Gate Dancer | Angel Cordero Jr. | Jack Van Berg | 1:53 3/5 |
| 1983 | Deputed Testamony | Donald Miller Jr. | Bill Boniface | 1:55 2/5 |
| 1982 | Aloma's Ruler | Jack Kaenel | John Lenzini Jr. | 1:55 2/5 |
| 1981 | Pleasant Colony | Jorge Velasquez | John Campo | 1:54 3/5 |
| 1980 | Codex | Angel Cordero Jr. | D. Wayne Lukas | 1:54 1/5 |
| 1979 | Spectacular Bid | Ron Franklin | Bud Delp | 1:54 1/5 |
| 1978 | Affirmed † | Steve Cauthen | Laz Barrera | 1:54 2/5 |
| 1977 | Seattle Slew † | Jean Cruguet | Billy Turner | 1:54 2/5 |
| 1976 | Elocutionist | John Lively | Paul Adwell | 1:55 |
| 1975 | Master Derby | Darrel McHargue | Smiley Adams | 1:56 2/5 |
| 1974 | Little Current | Miguel Rivera | Lou Rondinello | 1:54 3/5 |
| 1973 | Secretariat † | Ron Turcotte | Lucien Laurin | 1:54.40 |
| 1972 | Bee Bee Bee | Eldon Nelson | Red Carroll | 1:55 3/5 |
| 1971 | Canonero II | Gustavo Avila | Juan Arias | 1:54 |
| 1970 | Personality | Eddie Belmonte | John Jacobs | 1:56 1/5 |
| 1969 | Majestic Prince | Bill Hartack | Johnny Longden | 1:55 3/5 |
| 1968 | Forward Pass | Ismael Valenzuela | Henry Forrest | 1:56.4/5 |
| 1967 | Damascus | Bill Shoemaker | Frank Whiteley | 1:55 1/5 |
| 1966 | Kauai King | Don Brumfield | Henry Forrest | 1:55 2/5 |
| 1965 | Tom Rolfe | Ron Turcotte | Frank Whiteley | 1:56 1/5 |
| 1964 | Northern Dancer | Bill Hartack | Horatio Luro | 1:56 4/5 |
| 1963 | Candy Spots | Bill Shoemaker | Mesh Tenney | 1:56 1/5 |
| 1962 | Greek Money | John Rotz | V. W. Raines | 1:56 1/5 |
| 1961 | Carry Back | John Sellers | Jack Price | 1:57 3/5 |
| 1960 | Bally Ache | Bobby Ussery | Jimmy Pitt | 1:57 3/5 |
| 1959 | Royal Orbit | William Harmatz | R. Cornell | 1:57 |
| 1958 | Tim Tam | Ismael Valenzuela | Horace A. "Jimmy" Jones | 1:57 1/5 |
| 1957 | Bold Ruler | Eddie Arcaro | Sunny Jim Fitzsimmons | 1:56 1/5 |
| 1956 | Fabius | Bill Hartack | Horace A. "Jimmy" Jones | 1:58 2/5 |
| 1955 | Nashua | Eddie Arcaro | Sunny Jim Fitzsimmons | 1:54 3/5 |
| 1954 | Hasty Road | Johnny Adams | Harry Trotsek | 1:57.40 |
| 1953 | Native Dancer | Eric Guerin | Bill Winfrey | 1:57 4/5 |
| 1952 | Blue Man | Conn McCreary | Woody Stephens | 1:57 2/5 |
| 1951 | Bold | Eddie Arcaro | Preston Burch | 1:56 2/5 |
| 1950 | Hill Prince | Eddie Arcaro | Casey Hayes | 1:59 1/5 |
| 1949 | Capot | Ted Atkinson | John M. Gaver | 1:56 |
| 1948 | Citation † | Eddie Arcaro | Horace A. "Jimmy" Jones | 2:02 2/5 |
| 1947 | Faultless | Doug Dodson | Horace A. "Jimmy" Jones | 1:59 |
| 1946 | Assault † | Warren Mehrtens | Max Hirsch | 2:01 2/5 |
| 1945 | Polynesian | W. D. Wright | Morris Dixon | 1:58 4/5 |
| 1944 | Pensive | Conn McCreary | Ben A. Jones | 1:59 1/5 |
| 1943 | Count Fleet † | Johnny Longden | Don Cameron | 1:57 2/5 |
| 1942 | Alsab | Basil James | Sarge Swenke | 1:57 |
| 1941 | Whirlaway † | Eddie Arcaro | Ben A. Jones | 1:58 4/5 |
| 1940 | Bimelech | F. A. Smith | Bill Hurley | 1:58 3/5 |
| 1939 | Challedon | George Seabo | Louis Schaefer | 1:59 4/5 |
| 1938 | Dauber | Maurice Peters | Dick Handlen | 1:59 4/5 |
| 1937 | War Admiral † | Charley Kurtsinger | George Conway | 1:58 2/5 |
| 1936 | Bold Venture | George Woolf | Max Hirsch | 1:59 |
| 1935 | Omaha † | Willie Saunders | Sunny Jim Fitzsimmons | 1:58 2/5 |
| 1934 | High Quest | Robert Jones | Bob Smith | 1:58 1/5 |
| 1933 | Head Play | Charley Kurtsinger | Thomas Hayes | 2:02 |
| 1932 | Burgoo King | Eugene James | Henry J. "Dick" Thompson | 1:59 4/5 |
| 1931 | Mate | George Ellis | James W. Healy | 1:59 |
| 1930 | Gallant Fox † | Earl Sande | Sunny Jim Fitzsimmons | 2:00 3/5 |
| 1929 | Dr. Freeland | Louis Schaefer | Thomas J. Healey | 2:01 3/5 |
| 1928 | Victorian | Sonny Workman | James Rowe, Jr. | 2:00 1/5 |
| 1927 | Bostonian | Whitey Abel | Fred Hopkins | 2:01 3/5 |
| 1926 | Display | John Maiben | Thomas J. Healey | 1:59 4/5 |
| 1925 | Coventry | Clarence Kummer | William Duke | 1:59 |
| 1924 | Nellie Morse | John Merimee | A. B. Gordon | 1:57 1/5 |
| 1923 | Vigil | Benny Marinelli | Thomas J. Healey | 1:53 3/5 |
| 1922 | Pillory | L. Morris | Thomas J. Healey | 1:51 3/5 |
| 1921 | Broomspun | Frank Coltiletti | James Rowe, Sr. | 1:54 1/5 |
| 1920 | Man O' War | Clarence Kummer | Louis Feustel | 1:51 3/5 |
| 1919 | Sir Barton † | Johnny Loftus | H. Guy Bedwell | 1:53 |
| 1918 | Jack Hare Jr. | Charles Peak | F. D. Weir | 1:53 2/5 |
| 1918 | War Cloud | Johnny Loftus | W. B. Jennings | 1:53 3/5 |
| 1917 | Kalitan | E. Haynes | Bill Hurley | 1:54 2/5 |
| 1916 | Damrosch | Linus McAtee | A. G. Weston | 1:54 4/5 |
| 1915 | Rhine Maiden | Douglas Hoffman | F. Devers | 1:58 |
| 1914 | Holiday | Andy Schuttinger | J. S. Healy | 1:53 4/5 |
| 1913 | Buskin | James Butwell | John Whalen | 1:53 2/5 |
| 1912 | Colonel Holloway | Clarence Turner | D. Woodford | 1:56 3/5 |
| 1911 | Watervale | Eddie Dugan | John Whalen | 1:51 |
| 1910 | Layminster | Roy Estep | J. S. Healy | 1:40 3/5 |
| 1909 | Effendi | Willie Doyle | F. C. Frisbie | 1:39 4/5 |
| 1908 | Royal Tourist | Eddie Dugan | Andrew J. Joyner | 1:46 2/5 |
| 1907 | Don Enrique | G. Mountain | John Whalen | 1:45 2/5 |
| 1906 | Whimsical | Walter Miller | T. J. Gaynor | 1:45 |
| 1905 | Cairngorm | W. Davis | Andrew J. Joyner | 1:45 4/5 |
| 1904 | Bryn Mawr | E. Hildebrand | W. F. Presgrave | 1:44 1/5 |
| 1903 | Flocarline | W. Gannon | H. C. Riddle | 1:44 4/5 |
| 1902 | Old England | L. Jackson | G. B. Morris | 1:45 4/5 |
| 1901 | The Parader | F. Landry | Thomas J. Healey | 1:47 1/5 |
| 1900 | Hindus | H. Spencer | J. H. Morris | 1:48 2/5 |
| 1899 | Half Time | R. Clawson | Frank McCabe | 1:47 |
| 1898 | Sly Fox | Willie Simms | Hardy Campbell | 1:49 3/4 |
| 1897 | Paul Kauvar | T. Thorpe | T. P. Hayes | 1:51 1/4 |
| 1896 | Margrave | Henry Griffin | Byron McClelland | 1:51 |
| 1895 | Belmar | Fred Taral | E. Feakes | 1:50 1/2 |
| 1894 | Assignee | Fred Taral | W. Lakeland | 1:49 1/4 |
| 1890 | Montague | W. Martin | E. Feakes | 2:36 3/4 |
| 1889 | Buddhist | George B. Anderson | J. Rogers | 2:17 1/2 |
| 1888 | Refund | Fred Littlefield | Robert W. Walden | 2:49 |
| 1887 | Dunboyne (horse) | William Donohue | W. Jennings | 2:39 1/2 |
| 1886 | The Bard | S. Fisher | J. Huggins | 2:45 |
| 1885 | Tecumseh | Jim McLaughlin | Charles Littlefield | 2:49 |
| 1884 | Knight of Ellerslie | S. Fisher | T. B. Doswell | 2:39 1/2 |
| 1883 | Jacobus | George Barbee | R. Dwyer | 2:42 1/2 |
| 1882 | Vanguard | T. Costello | Robert W. Walden | 2:44 1/2 |
| 1881 | Saunterer | T. Costello | Robert W. Walden | 2:40 1/2 |
| 1880 | Grenada | Lloyd Hughes | Robert W. Walden | 2:40 1/2 |
| 1879 | Harold | Lloyd Hughes | Robert W. Walden | 2:40 1/2 |
| 1878 | Duke of Magenta | C. Holloway | Robert W. Walden | 2:41 3/4 |
| 1877 | Cloverbrook | C. Holloway | J. Walden | 2:45 1/2 |
| 1876 | Shirley | George Barbee | W. Brown | 2:44.75 |
| 1875 | Tom Ochiltree | Lloyd Hughes | Robert W. Walden | 2:43 1/2 |
| 1874 | Culpepper | William Donohue | H. Gaffney | 2:56 1/2 |
| 1873 | Survivor | George Barbee | A. D. Pryor | 2:43 |
Baltimore, MD (Sports Network) - Kentucky Derby winner Big Brown romped to victory in Saturday's 133rd Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course.... Full Story...