diff --git a/tornado/curl_httpclient.py b/tornado/curl_httpclient.py
index 852eec9..753ccd1 100644
--- a/tornado/curl_httpclient.py
+++ b/tornado/curl_httpclient.py
@@ -354,11 +354,6 @@
         # (but see version check in _process_queue above)
         curl.setopt(pycurl.IPRESOLVE, pycurl.IPRESOLVE_V4)
 
-    if request.fresh_connect:
-      curl.setopt(pycurl.FRESH_CONNECT, 1)
-    else:
-      curl.setopt(pycurl.FRESH_CONNECT, 0)
-
     # Set the request method through curl's irritating interface which makes
     # up names for almost every single method
     curl_options = {
diff --git a/tornado/httpclient.py b/tornado/httpclient.py
index d73fe4c..a4a3728 100644
--- a/tornado/httpclient.py
+++ b/tornado/httpclient.py
@@ -234,8 +234,7 @@
                  proxy_password='', allow_nonstandard_methods=False,
                  validate_cert=True, ca_certs=None,
                  allow_ipv6=None,
-                 client_key=None, client_cert=None,
-                 fresh_connect=False):
+                 client_key=None, client_cert=None):
         """Creates an `HTTPRequest`.
 
         All parameters except `url` are optional.
@@ -286,8 +285,6 @@
            `simple_httpclient` and true in `curl_httpclient`
         :arg string client_key: Filename for client SSL key, if any
         :arg string client_cert: Filename for client SSL certificate, if any
-        :arg fresh_connect: For curl_httpclient, set the FRESH_CONNECT flag for
-           this request.
         """
         if headers is None:
             headers = httputil.HTTPHeaders()
@@ -321,7 +318,6 @@
         self.allow_ipv6 = allow_ipv6
         self.client_key = client_key
         self.client_cert = client_cert
-        self.fresh_connect = fresh_connect
         self.start_time = monotime()