Streaking Into the Curlin Stakes

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The undefeated Looking At Bikinis (Lookin At Lucky) will make his highly anticipated stakes debut in Friday's loaded $100,000 Curlin S. at Saratoga.

He stamped himself as one to watch with a very sharp 5 3/4-length front-running win at first asking for trainer Chad Brown over subsequent GIII Sunland Derby winner Cutting Humor (First Samurai) sprinting in the Belmont slop last September. Sidelined thereafter, the bay proved well worth the wait for his sophomore debut, showing a different dimension rallying from off the pace and overcoming a troubled trip to reel in the speedy Not That Brady (Big Brown) in a $100,000 optional claimer going a one-turn mile at Belmont June 27. He earned a hefty 95 Beyer Speed Figure for the effort.

Looking At Bikinis fired a five-furlong bullet in :59 2/5 (1/29) at the Spa July 19 (XBTV Video). The 1 1/8-mile Curlin will mark his first attempt at two turns. He is the 5-2 morning-line favorite.

“We are very excited about this colt,” co-owner Sol Kumin said. “Chad has been extremely high on him since he arrived and we think he has a chance to be special. He's coming into the race with good spacing and is training extremely well. If he runs like we hope, we will point him to the [GI Runhappy] Travers [S. Aug. 24].

Kumin continued, “He needed some time after his first race. We sent him to Bruce Jackson at Fair Hill, who did an excellent job like he always does, and he came back to Chad ready to roll.”

Looking At Bikinis, a $240,000 OBSAPR 2-year-old acquisition (:21 4/5), is campaigned in partnership by Long Lake Stable LLC, Madaket Stables LLC, Thomas Coleman and Doheny Racing Stable. He was produced by the two-time winner Bikini Beauty (Bernardini), a daughter of Grade II winner Beautyandthebeast (GB) (Machiavellian).

“This ownership group is great,” Kumin said. “We own one-third in Madaket Stables, Long Lake-two great guys that love racing in Steve Mack and Matt Sidman–own one-third, and Tom Coleman and Mike Doheny, own the other third. It's a group of young guys that are all close friends that all love racing and buy two-three horses a year together. We will be well represented on Friday.”