Trainer Steve Asmussen said this morning that Preakness winner and Belmont Stakes runner-up Curlin will not start in the 138th running of the Grade 1, $1 million Travers Stakes, presented by the New York Lottery, at Saratoga Race Course on Saturday, August 25.

Instead, Asmussen will train the colt up to the Grade 1, $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup Invitational for three-year-olds and up at a mile and a quarter at Belmont Park on Saturday, September 30, the last of two Breeders’ Cup Challenge Days. ESPN will be at Belmont Park on September 30, to televise live the Jockey Club Gold Cup Invitational, along with the Grade 1, $600,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational at a mile and a half on the turf, the Grade 1, $600,000 Beldame for fillies and mares at nine furlongs and the Grade 1, $400,000 Vosburgh at six furlongs. Under the “Win and You’re In” format that was employed here at Saratoga on Whitney Day earlier this meet, race victors in these races will automatically qualify, respectively, for the Breeders’ Cup Classic, Turf, Distaff and Sprint at Monmouth Park on October 27.

The Jockey Club Gold Cup will be Curlin’s last prep race before Asmussen sends him back to Monmouth Park for the $5 million Classic.

“After the Belmont, the (Breeders’ Cup) Classic was the major goal for the second half of the season,” Asmussen said. “Running him back in the Travers and keeping him at that level for another 60 days, I think, is unrealistic.”

After being beaten a head by the filly, Rags to Riches, in the Belmont Stakes, Curlin came back in the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational on August 5, where he finished third to Any Given Saturday.

“I thought the opportunity was to run him at Monmouth over the racetrack and see how he would respond,” Asmussen said. “With that in our bank, we can be at our best (for the Breeders’ Cup Classic).”

Possibly taking over Curlin’s spot for the Travers is Stonestreet Stable’s Tiz Wonderful, who finished last behind Street Sense in a field of six in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy Stakes on July 28. Tiz Wonderful, with exercise rider Dominic Terry, breezed six furlongs in 1:14.22 over the Saratoga main track this morning.

“I thought he went excellent,” Asmussen said. “He showed what I wanted. He went off nice and smooth, he picked it up nicely and galloped out good. Three or four days (after the Jim Dandy), he bounced back nicely. I haven’t ruled him out of the Travers. I’ll have to see how he comes out of this work.”

Tiz Wonderful was coming off an eight-month layoff, because of a tendon injury, heading into the Jim Dandy. Asmussen believes if Tiz Wonderful, who had been unbeaten in three starts as a two-year-old, were to be a candidate for the Travers, he would need the Jim Dandy to get there.

“I thought if we were going to run in the Travers, that would be the only prep to give him,” he said. “He got tired and nothing went his way. We’ve got that race in him and he has trained nicely since.”

Asmussen also reported that Heiligbrodt Stable’s 2-year-old Rated Fiesty, who is undefeated in three starts, including the Grade 3 Kentucky Breeders’ Cup Stakes against males and the Grade 3 Debutante Stakes, will not race again this year.

“She hurt herself,” Asmussen said. “We’re not positive yet (about the injury), but she’s off and out. Most likely, she’s done for the two-year-old season. We tried to be easy on her, but it wasn’t the thing to do. She’s a little, itty, bitty filly.”

Wednesday is Women’s Day at Saratoga Race Course, sponsored by CareNet Medical Group, Community Care Physicians, the New York Military Academy, ImageCare Medical Imaging and B 95.5.

Women will have the opportunity to peruse products related to health and lifestyle while enjoying live musical performances from up and coming female singer Kelly Sweet in the backyard. The day’s feature race will be the Grade 2, $150,000 Adirondack for two-year-old fillies at six and a half furlongs.

An array of exhibitor booths featuring products and information focused on beauty, health care, personal improvement and leisure activities will be set up in the backyard. Among the exhibitors are CareNet Medical Group and Community Care Physicians, who will provide information on prenatal care, breast cancer awareness and women’s health.

Mary Kay representatives will offer skin care and make-up tips with a full line of cosmetic products. Arbonne International will provide botanical based skin and hair care as well as beauty products. The American Cancer Society will be on hand to offer information on cancer prevention and control initiatives, specifically pertaining to women.

Fans may also take home a Rags to Riches poster, courtesy of The Daily Racing Form, while supplies last. The poster, which features a caricature of the 2007 Belmont Stakes winner dressed in an elegant gown, celebrates the filly’s achievement as the first female in 102 years and only the third filly in history to capture the 1 ½-mile third leg of the Triple Crown.

Saturday, August 18, kicks off the Travers Festival, and on-track, the Grade 1 Alabama will be the day’s featured race.

The New York State Chili Championship will be hel din the backyard on Saturay, with all proceeds going toward the Backstretch Employee Service Team (B.E.S.T.). The cookoff will be held from noon - 4 p.m., and cost to sample the chili is $5 per person.

For more information on how to enter, contact: (845) 227-2425