presented by:

Curlin NOrth America’s

Richest Thoroughbred
 O aklawn

Big Step
Curlin heads to the Kentucky Derby undefeated after delivering
a jaw-dropping performance in the Arkansas Derby
B Y R O B E R T YAT E S

T
here’s a Derby out there with trainer
Steve Asmussen’s name on it. Plenty,
in fact. Alphabetically, the list already
reads: Arkansas, Borderland, Iowa, Loui-
siana, Louisiana Breeders, Riley Allison,
West Virginia, Woodlands, and Zia Park.
The next, and obviously most important,
could be Kentucky.
Curlin’s meteoric ascent to the top of the
3-year-old division has Asmussen, and an
all-star collection of owners, on, potential-
ly, the ride of their lives.
Next stop, Churchill Downs.
“We’ve had some nice horses,” said
Asmussen, nearing 3,600 victories in his
ultra-successful career. “But nice horses
can’t do what he can do.”
Hardly.
In another jaw-dropping performance,
4-5 favorite Curlin overwhelmed eight
challengers in the $1-million Arkansas
Derby (gr. II) April 14 at Oaklawn Park to
remain unbeaten, and unchallenged, in
three lifetime starts.
Curlin’s whopping 101⁄2-length margin
of victory was the largest in the race’s 71-
year history, topping Afleet Alex’s eight-
length masterpiece in 2005, and stamped
the chestnut son of Smart Strike as the
possible favorite for the May 5 Kentucky
Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I).
Less than three months ago, Curlin was
an unstarted prospect in trainer Helen
Pitts’ barn at Gulfstream Park. Now, he’s
bidding to become just the seventh unde-
feated Kentucky Derby winner in history.
“He’s stepped up more than you could
ever imagine,” said Asmussen, whose best
of five Kentucky Derby starters to date,
Fifty Stars, ran ninth in 2001. “It’s Christ-
mas every morning.”
On a chilly, overcast day more fitting for
December, a crowd of 57,937 witnessed a
late-season gift that just keeps on giving.
With Robby Albarado admitting he was
simply a “good passenger,” Curlin rated
beautifully just off the pace, effortlessly
collared dangerous-looking front-­runner
Deadly Dealer with his ears pricked
approaching the quarter pole, and wid-
ened his lead through the stretch, acceler-
ating through a final eighth of a mile in a
sparkling :11.91. Hand-ridden to the wire,
Curlin completed 11⁄8 miles over a fast

Jeff coady / coady photos

Curlin turns Hot Springs into a one-horse town while pulling clear of his foes in the stretch of the Arkansas Derby

2320 THE BLOOD-HORSE ■ april 21, 2007

 Arkansas Derby (Curlin) Count Fleet Sprint (Bordonaro)

track in 1:50.09.
The push-button performance, Albara-
do said, was more polished than Curlin’s
51⁄4-length victory in the Rebel Stakes (gr.
III) March 17 at Oaklawn.
“In his last start, he looked around and
drifted a bit,” Albarado said. “Today was a
tremendous leap for him. He was straight
(in the stretch). He did things profession-
ally. He’s getting serious.”
Yet mirroring comments she made the
day after the Rebel, Asmussen’s Oaklawn

Jeff coady / coady photos

assistant, Kristin Crawford, said Curlin
acted as if he hadn’t left his stall.
“He cooled out the same way,” Crawford
said. “He’s amazing.”
Curlin capped a monster afternoon at
Oaklawn for Asmussen, who pocketed
Million-dollar lineup: Connections of Arkansas Derby winner Curlin are all smiles
four other victories, including the $99,250
Northern Spur Breeders’ Cup Stakes (with Francisco businessman George Bolton for “It’s a lifetime dream,” Jackson said. “I
Takedown) and $95,000 Instant Racing approximately $3 million. saw Seabiscuit run in 1939, and this horse
Breeders’ Cup (Cream Only). On the advice of trainer Kenny McPeek, runs like Ghostzapper, Dr. Fager, Secretar-
Curlin may not have broken a sweat, Midnight Cry had originally purchased iat. He just takes off. He’s got extra gears
but his teacher still said he was a bundle Curlin for $57,000 at the Keeneland Sep- and when he kicks in, it looks like he’s
of nerves on the eve of what would be his tember yearling sale. Out of the Deputy sprinting at the finish.”
biggest career victory yet. Minister mare Sherriff’s Deputy, Curlin All the way to Churchill Downs.
“I was wound tight all day,” said Asmus- was bred in Kentucky by Fares Farm. As it turned out for the colt whose victo-
sen, 41, who finished the meeting with 36 Cunningham named the Kentucky-bred ries have been by a combined 281⁄2 lengths,
victories to claim his first Oaklawn title. colt after his great-grandfather, Charlie wardrobe may have been his biggest ob-
“What an opportunity it is training him. Curlin, a slave who fought for the Confed- stacle. Curlin wore Jackson’s gold and bur-
You just don’t see the scenario in which eracy in the Civil War. gundy colors in the Rebel, but carried the
he can get beat. But the saying is, ‘They’re The blockbuster seven-figure deal bro- dark green and gold of Padua in the Arkan-
so sure of the outcome, they’ll let you bet kered by John Moynihan, a Lexington sas Derby. A coin flip between Midnight
on it.’ Once the gates opened and he went bloodstock agent and Jackson’s adviser, Cry and Bolton will determine which silks
by in control, that was the easy part. Until was finalized Feb. 4. “We got lucky,” said Curlin wears in the Kentucky Derby.
they open the gates, you’re on edge.” Moynihan, who received a rousing cheer “That’s the importance of keeping him
Storm in May earned $200,000 and a from Curlin’s many supporters in the post- around,” Asmussen jokingly said of Cur-
trip to Louisville by closing along the rail race press conference. lin. “We’ve got to keep everybody happy
to finish second, a half-length ahead of the Transferred to Asmussen, whose win- with the rotation.”
lightly raced Deadly Dealer, among trainer ter roots are planted deeply in Arkansas,
Todd Pletcher’s army of Kentucky Derby Louisiana, Texas, and New Mexico, Curlin Fleet and fast
hopefuls. was placed on a two-race crash course to How fast is Bordonaro? Fast enough to
Delightful Kiss, Going Ballistic, Flying try and reach the Kentucky Derby. Mission be entered in a stakes race in California,
First Class, Officer Rocket, Slew by Slew, accomplished. yet resting comfortably in a stall in Arkan-
and Olympic Chief, a grossly overmatched
first-time starter beaten 551⁄4 lengths, com-
pleted the order of finish. For You Reppo,
trained by Pitts, was scratched the morn-
ing of the race with a bruised foot.
Curlin became the fourth consecu-
tive favorite to win the Arkansas Derby,
following Smarty Jones in 2004, Afleet
Alex in 2005, and Lawyer Ron last year.
Smarty Jones and Afleet Alex, both home-
grown products, seized two-thirds of the
Triple Crown.
After a year’s hiatus, Hot Springs, un-
expectedly, looks like it has harvested an-
other national player.
Shortly after Curlin won his career
debut by 123⁄4 lengths Feb. 3 at Gulfstream
will kenser / coady photos

Park, Midnight Cry Stables (retired Ken-

tucky attorneys William Gallion and Shir-
ley Cunningham Jr.) sold a majority inter-
est in the colt to California wine mogul
Jess Jackson’s Stonestreet Stables, Satish
and Anne Sanan’s Padua Stables, and San Howard Scarberry’s Silent Pleasure captures the Fifth Season

THE BLOOD-HORSE ■ april 21, 2007 2321

 united front
Five comprise ownership group;
Jess Jackson the majority partner
w w w . b l o o d h o r s e . c o m

®
International Thoroughbred Breeding and Racing May 26, 2007/No.21

Heads
Up!

curlin (no. 4) catches

street sense to win
the Preakness by a head
Crafty
Curlin
by steve haskin

A furious late rally

by Curlin catches
the Derby winner
at the wire
rick samuels
 T
horoughbred racing is a sport of contrasting emotions, ranging from
euphoria to despair and laced with a heavy dose of what might have
beens. It often takes a special horse to bring all those emotions to the
surface, and after watching the 132nd Preakness Stakes (gr. I), there is no doubt
that Curlin is that kind of horse.
Never before has a Thoroughbred crammed so much into the first three-and-a-half
months of his racing life, while affecting the lives of so many people. This whirlwind
introduction to racing reached a glorious, yet bittersweet, climax when Curlin ended the
Triple Crown dreams of Street Sense and his popular connections by dealing the winner
of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) an agonizing head defeat in the
Preakness before a record crowd of 121,263.
Many in attendance and watching on TV were crushed when Street Sense’s apparent
victory was snuffed out at the wire by a resurging Curlin, who had been pretty much
given up for dead after stumbling at the start, and then feeling the mighty force of Street
Sense blow by him at the head of the stretch. But from the wreckage of another shattered

The Derby winner was dealt an agonizing head defeat before 121,263

barbara d. livingston

Several of Curlin’s owners, from left, Satish and Anne Sanan, Barbara Banke, Shirley Cunningham, William Gallion, and Jess Jackson

2976 T H E B L O O D - H O R S E ■ M AY 2 6 , 2 0 0 7
dave harmon
Jockey Calvin Borel looks back to see Curlin and jockey Robby Albarado gaining on them in deep stretch
Triple Crown attempt came what many be-
lieve to be racing’s next superstar.
The son of Smart Strike, out of the Dep-
uty Minister mare Sherriff’s Deputy, came
to Baltimore with his own built-in fan club,
consisting of a new team of owners assem-
bled by bloodstock agent John Moynihan,
who purchased the colt on their behalf for
a reported $3.5-$3.7 million in early Febru-
ary following his devastating 123⁄4-length
maiden victory at Gulfstream Park.
Armed with sheer numbers, Team Cur-
lin, comprised of Jess Jackson’s Stonestreet
Stables, Satish and Anne Sanan’s Padua Sta-
bles, George Bolton, and the colt’s original
owners Shirley Cunningham and William
Gallion of Midnight Cry Stables, erupted
in celebration, along with Moynihan and
trainer Steve Asmussen and his family.
But in situations such as this, behind
the celebration there are those left behind.
As the cheers rang out for Curlin, an-
other scene was being played out a short
distance away. Watching the race in the
hospitality tent at the end of the stakes
barn was Curlin’s former trainer Helen
Pitts, who had earlier seen her Midnight
Cry Stables’ grass star Einstein stumble
while avoiding a fallen horse in the Dixie
Stakes (gr. IIT). The son of Spend a Buck
unseated his rider, Robby Albarado, who
would come back to ride Curlin to victory.
Einstein, second choice at 5-2, then ran
loose the rest of the way, suffering a minor
injury when he grabbed his quarter.
Two races later, Pitts had to watch the
colt she had nurtured through a series
of physical problems as a 2-year-old and
whom she finally was able to get to the
races at 3, become a classic winner for an-
other trainer.
“I have mixed feelings,” she said after-
ward. “I really don’t want to say anything.
I’m just happy for Steve and Scott (Asmus-
sen’s assistant Scott Blasi). Horses like this
are hard to come by, and I feel honored to
From the wreckage of
another Triple Crown
attempt came what
many believe to be
racing’s next superstar
curlin
have been a part of him at some point. But
what can you do? It’s hard.”
Watching back home in Louisville was
Curlin’s former exercise rider Hanne Jor-
gensen, who had taken his departure par-
ticularly hard. “I cried my eyes out when
they sold him,” she said shortly after the
sale. “We babied him for such a long time.
He bucked his shins twice and we tried to
get him through it and worked hard with
him. And then, one big race and he’s gone.
We felt he was something special before
he even started; we really did. I remember
working him and coming back and say-
ing, ‘I’ve never sat on a horse like this be-
fore.’ I understand it’s hard to turn down
that kind of money, and they did keep a
piece of him, so it wasn’t hard for them.
But it’s hard for us, because you get so at-
tached to them.”
On the track, emotions shifted quickly,
leaving everyone stunned at the sudden
turn of events. When Street Sense charged
by Curlin and then Kentucky Derby run-
ner-up Hard Spun, opening a clear lead at
the eighth pole, people immediately began
planning their trip to Belmont Park, cer-
tain they’d be seeing racing’s first Triple
Crown winner in 29 years.
Standing along the rail, Street Sense’s
T H E B L O O D - H O R S E ■ M AY 2 6 , 2 0 0 7 2977
 CURLIN
curlin

After tracking the early pace, Curlin and Street Sense

stage a dramatic battle in the stretch all the way to the wire

4 on the backstretch

CURLIN
2 6 7 9 5 1 8

jeffrey snyder
at the break

3 1 POST
POSITIONS 5 on the turn

2
1 Mint Slewlep
first time by 2 Xchanger
8
3 Circular Quay CURLIN 6 3 1
5
4 Curlin 8
2 5 King of the Roxy 7
5 9 2
6 Flying First Class
CURLIN 6 7 Hard Spun
8 Street Sense
9 C P West

7
Rick Samuels photos

6 deep stretch

2 6
6 1
2 7 photo finish

CURLIN 8
5
7
5 9 CURLIN
9 7
8 CURLIN
1
8
3
3

3 first turn
 curlin
hotwalker Paul Rutherford, exercise rider
Mark Cutler, and groom Jose Herrarte
began pumping their fists in the air and
jumping up and down in celebration. But,
in a heartbeat, the scene changed, as Cur-
lin, remarkably, came charging late, cut-
ting into Street Sense’s lead with every
stride. In a pulsating finish, it was Curlin
who managed to stick his head in front.
For the Derby winner, certain victory had
somehow turned to defeat.
Blasi stared at the slow motion replay on
the infield screen, still unsure of the result.
Then, the number 4 was posted. “He got
it!” he shouted. “The number’s up.”
Up in the boxes, Asmussen, despite en-
couraging words from those around him,
refused to move or even look at the tote
board until he was told the numbers were
posted.
For the media, a return visit to Street
Sense’s affable trainer Carl Nafzger, owner
James B. Tafel, and jockey Calvin Borel was

PREAKNESS
BY THE NUMBERS
$3.5-$3.7 Million
Reported price tag for Curlin following his
maiden win Feb. 3 at Gulfstream Park

$1,602,800
Earnings for Curlin after his Preakness win

$1,000,000
Purse of Preakness Stakes

121,263
On-site attendance
at the Preakness, a record

$57,000
Cost of Curlin as a yearling on day
seven at the 2005 Keeneland
September yearling sale

29
Years since the last Triple Crown winner
(Affirmed, 1978)

10
Years since the last photo-finish
in the Preakness (Silver Charm by
a head over Free House, who nipped
Captain Bodgit by a head)

3
Number of last four Preakness winners
prepping for the classics at Oaklawn
Park in Arkansas (Afleet Alex, 2005,
and Smarty Jones, 2004)

1:53.46

anne m. eberhardt
Time of the race, matching the stakes
Albarado shares his classic moment record of 1:53 2⁄5 held by Louis Quatorze
with the Pimlico faithful (1996) and Tank’s Prospect (1985)

T H E B L O O D - H O R S E ■ M AY 2 6 , 2 0 0 7 2981
 abruptly canceled, and all thoughts shifted
to the Curlin partnership and Asmussen.
The 41-year-old trainer had his first
classic winner, coming on the heels of a
six-month suspension for a medication
positive, during which time Blasi became
the trainer of record.
The emotion in the Asmussen fam-
ily ran high following the race. “Oh, my
gosh, there aren’t any words that can ex-
plain the feeling and what it’s like for the
kids and me,” said Asmussen’s wife, Julie,
who was busy watching their three sons,
Keith, 7; Darren, 6; and Erik, 4. “We’re so
proud of Steve, and we’re so fortunate. It’s
just a blessing and we’re very thankful.”
Erik then put things in a more simple
perspective. “Mom, I’m 4 and the horse’s
number is 4,” he said. “That’s right,” Julie
philip nohe
replied. “That is a lucky number.”
Asmussen’s father, Keith, also was
Borel meets the press after the defeat; below, Street Sense and trainer Carl Nafzger
2982 T H E B L O O D - H O R S E ■ M AY 2 6 , 2 0 0 7
beaming with pride. “Some old kid raised
in Laredo, Texas. Can you believe that?”
said the elder Asmussen, who, with wife,
Marilyn, operates the family-owned El
Primero Training Center in Laredo. “I’m
so proud of that guy. I couldn’t be any-
thing else. It takes a long time to get here,
and most don’t, but he got here.”
He then hugged his 7-year-old name-
sake and asked him, “You’re proud of your
dad, right? You ought to be. It didn’t come
easy, did it?”
Steve returned to the barn and imme-
diately embraced his father. Reflecting on
the victory, he said, “It’s beautiful. What
could you ever want other than this? Ev-
erything we have in life is because of rac-
ing, and achieving this kind of success is
never guaranteed.”
Asmussen thought back to that after-
noon of Feb. 3 at Gulfstream Park. He was
skip dickstein
 curlin
running Leprechaun Racing’s Gunfight in some grass,” Garrison recalled. “He was When the colt finally made his debut
the 61⁄2-furlong Swale Stakes (gr. II), which a big, playful kid who was full of vinegar. and destroyed his field by nearly 13 lengths
would be his only starter at the meet. He He just needed time to grow up. He’s got a in 1:22.25 for seven furlongs, it immedi-
had recently lost his big Triple Crown hope, great big stride and just doesn’t seem to be ately set the wheels in motion. Watching
the Jess Jackson-owned Tiz Wonderful, to under any stress at all when he’s running.” the race on simulcast while at the Ocala
an injury and was wondering how he was
going to replace a horse of that caliber, one
who was undefeated and had already won T H E R E S UL T S
the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (gr. II). 1± MILES. (1.52§) 132ND RUNNING OF THE PREAKNESS. Grade I. Purse $1,000,000 FOR
Asmussen just happened to be stabled TWELFTH RACE THREE-YEAR-OLDS. $10,000 to pass the entry box, $10,000 additional to start, with $1,000,000
in Pitts’ barn that day and was able to see Pimlico guaranteed, of which 60% to the winner, 20% to second, 11% to third, 6% to fourth and 3% to fifth.
Weight 126 lbs. A replica of the Woodlawn Vase will be presented to the winning owner to remain his or
Curlin close up. Everything about the colt MAY 19, 2007 her personal property.
Value of Race: $1,000,000 Winner $600,000; second $200,000; third $110,000; fourth $60,000; fifth $30,000. Mutuel Pool $20,392,435.00
impressed him. Exacta Pool $11,499,591.00 Superfecta Pool $7,007,668.00 Trifecta Pool $14,699,667.00
Pitts had been given Curlin to train by Last Raced Horse M/Eqt. A. Wt PP St ² ¶ º Str Fin Jockey Odds $1
Cunningham and Gallion after the colt was 5Ü07 ¦¥CD¨ Curlin L 3 126 4 6 6Ç 7§ 6¨ 2Ç 1Ç Albarado R J 3.40
5Ü07 ¦¥CD¦ Street Sense L f 3 126 8 5 8§ô 8¨ 7Ç 1¦ô 2© Borel C H 1.30
picked out by her old boss, Kenny McPeek, 5Ü07 ¦¥CD§ Hard Spun L 3 126 7 9 3¦ô 3§ô 1§ 3¦ô 3¦ô Pino M G 4.10
at the Keeneland September yearling sale 28ß07 ¤Aqu§ C P West L 3 126 9 3 5¨ 4¦ô 3§ô 4ª 4¦õ Prado E S 24.90
for $57,000. McPeek had recently retired 5Ü07 ¦¥CD« Circular Quay L 3 126 3 7 9 9 9 5Ç 5¨ö Velazquez J R 6.00
from training to do bloodstock work, at 7ß07 «SA§ King of the Roxy L b 3 126 5 2 4ô 5© 5¦ 6« 6«ô Gomez G K 14.20
least temporarily, turning over the major- 28ß07 ¤Aqu© Mint Slewlep L bf 3 126 1 8 7¦ 6ô 8§ô 7¨ 7¤ô Garcia Alan 40.10
ity of his horses and clients to Pitts. Now, 21ß07 ¤Pim¦ Xchanger L b 3 126 2 1 1ô 1¦ 2Ç 8ª 8©õ Dominguez R A 23.00
28ß07 ¦¥CD¦ Flying First Class L b 3 126 6 4 2¨ 2¨ô 4¦ 9 9 Guidry M 16.60
he was looking to get back into training. OFF AT 6:18 Start Good. Won driving. Track fast.
“I politicked very hard to get this horse, TIME :22©, :45¨, 1:09©, 1:34¨, 1:53§ (:22.83, :45.75, 1:09.80, 1:34.68, 1:53.46)
but they had already promised him to 4 - CURLIN 8.80 3.80 2.80
Helen, and they didn’t want to renege on $2 Mutuel Prices: 8 - STREET SENSE 3.00 2.40
7 - HARD SPUN 3.00
their word,” McPeek said. $2 EXACTA 4-8 PAID $23.20 $1 SUPERFECTA 4-8-7-9 PAID $340.30
“He was the star of the day at the sale, $2 TRIFECTA 4-8-7 PAID $50.00
but he had a veterinary issue that I felt ul- Ch. c, (Mar), by Smart Strike - Sherriff's Deputy , by Deputy Minister . Trainer Asmussen Steven M. Bred by Fares Farm
Inc (Ky).
timately would be a non-issue. He had an CURLIN stumbled a bit at the start and was unhurried in the early stages while moving to the inside, angled out leaving the
OCD lesion removed from his left ankle as first turn, was unhurried while four wide along the backstretch, closed the gap from outside leaving the far turn, circled five
a weanling. It wasn’t what I’d call pretty wide to reach contention approaching the quarter pole, lagged slightly behind STREET SENSE in upper stretch, dug in under
strong urging nearing the eighth pole then battled back gamely under right hand encouragement to get up in the final stride.
when he sold, but I felt if it wasn’t for that STREET SENSE tucked in soon after the start, was rated well off the pace for a half, moved out a bit to launch his run at the
he would have gone for $300,000. No one half mile pole, angled back to the rail while gaining on the far turn, swung out approaching the quarter pole, split rivals while
liked the ankle and they hemmed and four wide entering the stretch, charged to the front in upper stretch, opened a clear advantage in midstretch, continued on the
front into deep stretch then yielded to the winner in the closing strides. HARD SPUN broke a bit slowly, was under a firm hold
hawed for several days. I offered to take while ranging up in the early stages, advanced five wide into the backstretch, made a strong middle move under a strong hold
the horse back and place him with another from outside along the backstretch, opened a clear lead on the far turn, set the pace into upper stretch and weakened under
client. I just thought at that price he was pressure through the final eighth. C P WEST raced in the middle of the pack while four wide leaving the first turn, gradually
gained while continuing wide along the backstretch, closed the gap from outside on the far turn, angled into the three path
a steal.” while just behind the leaders nearing the quarter pole, dropped back a bit in upper stretch and weakened in the final eighth.
Cunningham said he and Gallion knew CIRCULAR QUAY trailed six furlongs, angled four wide while gaining slightly at the three-sixteenths pole then closed some
right away they had something special. ground with a mild late rally. KING OF THE ROXY was taken in hand while saving ground early, moved out after a half, swung
four wide on the turn and lacked a late response. MINT SLEWLEP checked after being bumped off stride at the start, raced well
“We only give Kenny McPeek a modest
COPYRIGHT 2007, DAILY RACING FORM INC. AND EQUIBASE CO. LLC

back for six furlongs, swung out in upper stretch and failed to mount a serious rally. XCHANGER broke inward causing
budget, so we have to do a lot of hard work crowding at the start, rushed up inside, set the pace along the rail to the far turn and steadily tired thereafter. FLYING FIRST
to find something that’s decent,” Cunning- CLASS pressed the pace in the two path between rivals to the half mile pole and gave way.
Owners- 1, Stonestreet Stables Padua Stables Bolton George and Midnight Cry Stables; 2, Jim Tafel LLC; 3, Fox Hill Farms Inc; 4,
ham said. “We instructed Kenny to look LaPenta Robert V; 5, Tabor Michael B and Doreen; 6, Team Valor Stables LLC; 7, Dowell Marshall E; 8, Circle Z Stables Joseph Masone &
for a horse that had the look of a mile-and- Mark Shuman; 9, Johnston Ellwood W
­a-quarter horse. Fortunately, he came up Trainers- 1, Asmussen Steven M; 2, Nafzger Carl A; 3, Jones J Larry; 4, Zito Nicholas P; 5, Pletcher Todd A; 6, Pletcher Todd A; 7,
Bailes W Robert; 8, Shuman Mark; 9, Lukas D Wayne
with this one.”
Curlin was then sent to Gail Garrison, $2 Pick Three (12-9-4) Paid $349.20 ; Pick Three Pool $430,670 .
manager of Cunningham’s Hillcrest Farm $2 Pick Four (1/4/6-12-9-4) Paid $440.20 ; Pick Four Pool $1,544,672 .
$1 Pick Six (2/5/8/10-2/4-1-4-6/12-9-4) 6 Correct Paid $789.50 ; Pick Six Pool $417,501 .
near Lexington, who began working on the $1 Pick Six (2/5/8/10-2/4-1/4/6-12-9-4) 5 Correct Paid $15.20 .
colt’s physical problems. “We brought him $2 Daily Double (9-4) Paid $42.20 ; Daily Double Pool $474,101 .
home for about 60 days and gave him some $2 Daily Double (B.E.SUSAN-PREAKNESS 2-4) Paid $34.80 ; Daily Double Pool $586,774 .
rest, then turned him out and let him have

P A S T P E R F O R M A NC E S
COPYRIGHT 2007, DAILY RACING FORM INC. AND EQUIBASE CO. LLC

Daily Racing Form curl. Belmont Park. 1 1/2 Miles. Dirt. Thoroughbred
1 $1,602,800 111 D.Fst 5 4 0 1 $1,602,800 111
Curlin Ch. c. 3 (Mar) KEESEP05 $57,000
Sire: Smart Strike (Mr. Prospector) $75,000
Life 5 4 0
Own: Stonestreet Stables Padua Stables, Bo Dam:Sherriff's Deputy (Deputy Minister) 2007 5 4 0 1 $1,602,800 111 Wet(409) 0 0 0 0 $0 -
Synth 0 0 0 0 $0 -
Br: Fares Farm Inc (Ky) 2006 0 M 0 0 $0 - Turf(340) 0 0 0 0 $0 -
Tr: Asmussen Steven M(7 0 0 3 .00) 2007:(799 161 .20)
Bel 0 0 0 0 $0 - Dst(338) 0 0 0 0 $0 -
19Ü07=12Pim fst 1± :45¨1:09© 1:34¨1:53§ Preaknes-G1 111 4 6¤ô 7¦¨ 6«ô 2¦ô 1Ç Albarado R J L126 3.40 105= 05 Curlin126Ç Street Sense126© Hard Spun126¦ô Stumbled brk, 5wide 9
5Ü07=10CD fst 1² :46¦1:11 1:37 2:02 KyDerby-G1 98 2 13¦§14®ô 8©ô 6¬ö 3¤ Albarado R J L126 5.00 88= 09 Street Sense126§õ Hard Spun126ªö Curlin126ô Steady early,5w bid 20
14ß07=11OP fst 1° :47©1:12¨ 1:38 1:50 ArkDerby-G2 103 2 2¦ 3¨ 2¦ô 1¨ô 1¦¥ô Albarado R J L122 *.80 91= 17 Curlin122¦¥ô Storm in May122ô Deadly Dealer118ô Effortlssly well clear 9
17à07=10OP fst 1Â :23§ :47¨ 1:12§1:44¨ Rebel-G3 97 8 4© 5ªô 4¦õ 1§ô 1ªõ Albarado R J L117 2.70 83= 24 Curlin117ªõ Officer Rocket119§ô Teuflesberg122¦õ Swept to fore 4-w 9
Previously trained by Pitts Helen 2006: ( 210 34 31 25 0.16 )
3á07= 4GP fst 7f :22¨ :45§ 1:09©1:22¦ Md Sp Wt 38k 101 2 6 1Ç 1§ 1¨ 1¦§ö Bejarano R L122 *2.00 94= 06 Curlin122¦§ö Winstrella122©ö Marnesia's Big Boy122É Drifted out stretch 8
WORKS: Ü14 CD 4f fst :51 B 51/54 ß30 CD 4f fst :48§ B 11/52 ß23 Keeú5f fst 1:00© B 13/18 ß9 Keeú4f fst :50© B 45/46 òß2 Keeú6f fst 1:12 H 1/4 à26 Keeú4f fst :49¦ B 12/26
TRAINER: 1-7Days(25 .28 $1.75) WonLastStart(370 .21 $1.66) Dirt(1661 .22 $1.67) Routes(771 .22 $1.75) Stakes(307 .18 $2.15)

T H E B L O O D - H O R S E ■ M AY 2 6 , 2 0 0 7 2983
 Breeders’ Sales Co.’s 2-year-old sale was
Moynihan, who is Jackson’s bloodstock
manager. Watching from his home in San
Francisco was Bolton. Both had the same
reaction: “Wow!”
Bolton then contacted someone at the
Ragozin Sheets and found out that Curlin
had run a “53⁄4,” an extraordinary number
for a first-time starter.
Knowing that offers would immediately
start pouring in for the colt, Moynihan drove
down to Gulfstream to see the horse and
contacted Cunningham and Gallion. The
first offer to come in was from Barry Irwin,
president of Team Valor, who offered $1.75
million, but was “blown out of the water,” as
he put it. Cunningham and Gallion wanted
to stay in for a minority interest, and the day
after the race, Super Bowl Sunday, Moyni-
han began negotiations, representing Jack-
After Street Sense got the jump on the field coming out of the turn and into the stretch, Curlin was able to wear him down in the final strides
2984 T H E B L O O D - H O R S E ■ M AY 2 6 , 2 0 0 7
son, Bolton, and Sanan. By 2 a.m. Monday
morning the deal was completed.
“They had bigger offers for the whole
horse, but our pitch was that we let them
stay in,” Bolton said.
The only thing left to be done was for
Moynihan to look at Curlin on the race-
track to see how he came out of the race
If Tiz Wonderful
hadn’t gotten hurt, I’d be
trying to figure out how
to beat this horse instead
of training him.
steve asmussen
and how sound he was. He had Pitts bring
him to the track that morning, and after
watching the colt “bucking and squeal-
ing,” he finalized the deal.
“Selling him was absolutely never a
thought in our minds, but after his first
race we were approached by some 15
people who were interested in buying him
with different scenarios,” Cunningham
said. “We were interested in staying in-
volved in the ownership of the horse, and
this opportunity gave us the best chance
to do that and take on partners we felt we
could get along with.”
Asmussen feels everything that trans-
pired was meant to be. “It’s ironic, because
if Tiz Wonderful hadn’t gotten hurt, Jess
Jackson wouldn’t have been looking for a
Derby horse to replace him and I’d be try-
ing to figure out how to beat this horse in-
jeffrey snyder
 curlin
stead of training him,” Asmussen said. going to his knees. That would have been
Racing in Jackson’s colors, Curlin, bred enough to eliminate most horses, but Cur-
in Kentucky by Fares Farm, won the Rebel lin would show he is not like most horses.
Stakes (gr. III) by 51⁄4 lengths. Then, racing Federico Tesio winner Xchanger shot to the
in Sanan’s silks, he romped by 101⁄2 lengths front, with the D. Wayne Lukas-trained Fly-
in the Arkansas Derby (gr. II). With only ing First Class giving chase. The pair went
three career starts and never having raced at it, quickly opening three lengths on Hard
as a 2-year-old, Curlin went into the Ken- Spun in third through an opening quarter
tucky Derby trying to do something that in :22.83 and a half in a swift :45.75.
hadn’t been done since 1915 and 1882, re- Curlin was able to settle in seventh,
spectively. But as Bolton said prior to the about a dozen lengths off the pace, with
race, “It’s like he’s a 5-year-old who has Street Sense saving ground in eighth.
been doing it forever. He’s like the kid who Down the backstretch, jockey Mario Pino,
can read the entire chemistry textbook the racing with cover behind the battling lead-
night before a final exam.” ers, eased Hard Spun to the outside, and
Despite his lack of experience, Curlin when the colt saw daylight, it put run on
struck fear in the hearts of rival horsemen. his mind. In a flash, Hard Spun and Pino
barbara d. livingston

“He explodes like it’s nothing,” said Bill made up four lengths, charging right on
Kaplan, trainer of Imawildandcrazyguy. by Xchanger and Flying First Class, while
“You don’t even know where the bottom running his third quarter in a testing :231⁄5.
of this horse is. It’s an amazing thing to No one could understand what Pino was
watch an animal like this. I’d be tickled thinking making such a big early move
with second, because I can’t beat that Trainer Larry Jones with Hard Spun through such a wicked pace.
horse.” Imawildandcrazyguy finished
fourth in the Derby.
Seth Benzel, New York assistant to
Todd Pletcher, who had five Derby start-
ers, couldn’t even bring himself to watch
the Arkansas Derby. “Curlin is a freak,” he
said. “I didn’t even watch his race, because
I knew he was going to do what he did and
I didn’t want to see it.”
Hard Spun’s trainer Larry Jones said,
“Six months from now, we could be look-
ing at Curlin as a super horse.”
As it turned out, Curlin ran a big race
to finish third in the Derby. After getting
swallowed up by the 20-horse field, Al-
barado went for an opening on the inside,
but Liquidity came off the rail and closed
up the hole, at the same time letting Street
Sense through.
It was undecided whether to come back
in the Preakness or wait for the Belmont
Stakes (gr. I), but that indecision didn’t
last very long. “Steve called me at 6:30
the morning after the Derby,” Bolton said.
“Usually, when you get a call from the
barn at 6:30 in the morning it’s not good
news. But Steve said, ‘I can’t believe it.
He’s got his ears pricked and he wants to
go back and jog. The horse is doing great
and I just wanted to let you know it. I think
we should go to the Preakness.’ ”
So, Curlin was now headed for the sec-
ond leg of the Triple Crown and another
crack at Street Sense and Hard Spun. “If
you’re not going to run a horse like this in
the Preakness, what are you waiting on?”
Asmussen said. “It’s very important to me
that people see who he is.”
The Preakness drew a field of nine, with
Circular Quay the only other Derby starter
skip dickstein

to return. Street Sense was made the over-

whelming 6-5 favorite, with Curlin the
second choice at 3-1 and Hard Spun 4-1.
At the break, Curlin stumbled, nearly A classic combo: trainer Steve Asmussen and jockey Robby Albarado

T H E B L O O D - H O R S E ■ M AY 2 6 , 2 0 0 7 2985
 Curlin
As they came to the quarter pole, Hard
Spun, as he had done in the Derby, opened
up a clear lead and seemed to be cruis-
ing along. The Nick Zito-trained C P West
attempted to move with him and looked
strong around the turn, rolling up right be-
hind Hard Spun. But the Withers Stakes
(gr. III) runner-up couldn’t stay with him.
Then, into the picture came the blue and
black silks of Midnight Cry Stables, as Cur-
lin came charging up on the outside. Just
when it looked as if he would pose a seri-
ous threat to Hard Spun, here came Street
Sense, who had slipped to the inside and
then eased out to launch what looked to
be a winning move. After three-quarters
in 1:09.80, he rolled right on by Curlin
from the inside and took dead aim at Hard
Spun. In a matter of a few strides, Street
Sense again ran by Hard Spun, who was
beginning to feel the effects of the rapid
pace and his premature move.
The Derby winner was 11⁄2 lengths
in front at the eighth pole after a mile in
1:34.68. This was it. The Preakness was
a done deal, and now it was time to start
thinking seriously about the Triple Crown.
But, just then, the picture changed dra-
matically. Curlin, with those huge strides
of his, had been stuck on his left lead after
failing to negotiate Pimlico’s tight turn.
Albarado threw a cross on him, gave him
two right-handed cracks of the whip, and
then yanked him to the inside to try to get
him to switch to his right lead. It worked,
as Curlin switched over and began bear-
ing down on Street Sense.
Thoughts of a Triple Crown sweep began
to evaporate with every one of Curlin’s
giant strides. Everyone knew it was going
to be close. Albarado kept hitting Curlin
right-handed and the chestnut stuck his
head in front right on the wire. No one
could believe what had happened and
how quickly and unexpectedly the com-
plexion of the race and the Triple Crown
had changed.
“When I saw it was going to be close, I barbara d. livingston
said, ‘Oh, God, please let him get there,’ ”
Moynihan said. “It would have been a
travesty if he had gotten beat after all that
happened to him.”
Street Sense was gallant in defeat, fin- Curlin’s time of 1:53.46 equals the stakes record held by Tank’s Prospect and Louis Quatorze
ishing four lengths ahead of Hard Spun,
who was 11⁄2 lengths ahead of C P West, Nafzger said he was disappointed in out what had happened.
who ran a huge race at 24-1, suggesting the outcome, but not in the horse. “It was By the next morning, it had all sunk
big things for the future. “This was a heartbreaking,” he said. “Curlin ran a hell in, and thoughts turned to the Belmont,
major step forward for the horse,” owner of a race, but we had him, and we never which could bring Curlin, Street Sense,
Robert LaPenta said. “We feel like we should have let him come back and get and Hard Spun together once again.
won the race.” us. I think our horse got to the lead and Asmussen admits that after Curlin,
The final time of 1:53.46 equaled the thought he won. But he’s still as good a “there will be no more under the radar
fastest Preaknesses ever run, with Curl- horse as he ever was.” for me.” With 210 horses in his care, and
in’s final three-sixteenths in about :182⁄5 After Nafzger went down to the track, picking up where he left off before his
among the fastest in Preakness history. and most of the people in the boxes began suspension, Asmussen’s philosophy in
Galloping out after the race, Borel said to to clear out, a dazed James Tafel stood racing and in life is, “You’re never beat
his close friend Albarado, “You got me. there by himself watching Curlin being unless you quit.”
Congratulations.” led into the winner’s circle, trying to figure Curlin was proof of that. b

2986 T H E B L O O D - H O R S E ■ M AY 2 6 , 2 0 0 7
 Smart
Now, Curlin’s got a hard-fought Preak-
ness score over Derby winner Street Sense
for owners George Bolton; William Gallion
and Shirley Cunningham Jr.’s Midnight
Cry Stables; Satish and Anne Sanan’s

Choice
Padua Stables; and Jess Jackson’s Stone­
street Stables. As for Smart Strike, his
reputation as a successful stallion was ce-
mented years ago, but has now reached a
new level.
Smart Strike, who has stood his entire
career at William S. Farish’s Lane’s End
Farm near Versailles, Ky., has ranked
B Y D av i d S c h m i t z among the top 15 stallions by progeny
earnings the last five years, and his year-

C
urlin received his share of praise even before his victory in the May 19 end earnings have been as high as $7.4
million. The 15-year-old stallion ranks
fourth among this year’s leading sires and
Preakness Stakes (gr. I) at Pimlico. The son of Smart Strike not only was has a career total of 47 stakes winners.
“He’s been good statistically all along,
unbeaten in three races going into the May 5 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! but coming up with the really big horse
has taken him longer,” said Farish’s son,
Bill. “With Curlin coming along, Smart
Brands (gr. I), but managed to finish a solid third in the Churchill Downs classic. Strike is really doing it all.”

tony leonard

Smart Strike, sire of the Preakness winner

2996 T H E B L O O D - H O R S E ■ M AY 2 6 , 2 0 0 7
 CURLIN / PEDIGREE

Sam-Son has been instrumental in making Smart Strike

NATIVE DANCER, 1950 POLYNESIAN, 1942

MR. PROSPECTOR, 1970
Bred by Leslie Combs II
Raced 2 yrs, 14 s, SW,
$112,170
1,178 f, 181 SW, 3.99 AEI
SMART STRIKE, 1992
Bred by Sam-Son Farm
Raced 2 yrs, 8 s, SW, $337,376
517 f, 47 SW, 2.65 AEI
CLASSY 'N SMART, 1981
Bred by Sam-Son Farm
Raced 1 yr, 9 s, SW $303,222
9 f, 5 r, 5 w, 4 SW
CURLIN
Bred by Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt
RAISE A NATIVE, 1961 Raced 3 yrs, 22 s, SW, $785,240 GEISHA, 1943
Bred by Happy Hill Farm
Raced 1 yr, 4 s, SW, $45,955
838 f, 78 SW, 2.34 AEI RAISE YOU, 1946 CASE ACE, 1934
Bred by Country Life Farm
Raced 3 yrs, 24 s, SW, $37,220 LADY GLORY, 1934
NASHUA, 1952 NASRULLAH, 1940
GOLD DIGGER, 1962 Bred by Belair Stud, Inc.
Bred by Leslie Combs II/Brownell Raced 3 yrs, 30 s, SW, $1,288,565 SEGULA, 1942
Combs
Raced 3 yrs, 35 s, SW, $127,255 SEQUENCE, 1946 COUNT FLEET, 1940
12 f, 7 r, 7 w, 3 SW
Bred by Brownell Combs
Raced 2 yrs, 17 s, SW, $54,850 MISS DOGWOOD, 1939
CYANE, 1959 TURN-TO, 1951
SMARTEN, 1976 Bred by Mrs. George L. Harrison
Bred by Ryehill Farm Raced 2 yrs, 14 s, SW, $176,367 YOUR GAME, 1948
Raced 2 yrs, 27 s, SW, $716,426 SMARTAIRE, 1962 QUIBU, 1948
601 f, 49 SW, 1.71 AEI Bred by Fred W. Hooper
Raced 3 yrs, 35 s, wnr, $13,925 ART TEACHER, 1958
NODOUBLE, 1965 NOHOLME II, 1956
Bred by Gene Goff
NO CLASS, 1974 Raced 4 yrs, 42 s, SW, $846,749 ALBA-JAY, 1955
Bred by Jack Hood Farms

Raced 3 yrs, 29 s, wnr, $37,543 CLASSY QUILLO, 1969 OUTING CLASS, 1960
8 f, 7 r, 7 w, 6 SW Bred by Jack Hood Farms
Raced 2 yrs, 14 s, wnr, $5,040 QUILLOPOLY, 1958

NORTHERN DANCER, 1961 NEARCTIC, 1954

VICE REGENT, 1967
Bred by E. P. Taylor
Raced 2 yrs, 5 s, wnr, $6,215
672 f, 105 SW, 2.89 AEI
DEPUTY MINISTER, 1979
Bred by Centurion Farms
Raced 3 yrs, 22 s, SW,
$696,964
1,131 f, 87 SW, 2.72 AEI
MINT COPY, 1970
Bred by Mr. and Mrs. John Wilson
Raced 5 yrs, 76 s, wnr, $53,945
SHERRIFF'S DEPUTY, 1994 7 f, 7 r, 4 w, 1 SW
Bred by Fares Farm
Unraced
5 f, 5 r, 3 w, 1 SW
BATES MOTEL, 1979
Bred by Mrs. George F. Getty
Raced 2 yrs, 19 s, SW, $851,050
579 f, 39 SW, 1.46 AEI
BARBARIKA, 1985
Bred by Dr. Herman Kossow
Raced 3 yrs, 16 s, SW,
$347,253
11 f, 9 r, 4 w
WAR EXCHANGE, 1972
Bred by Dr. A. E. Verdi
Raced 3 yrs, 48 s, SW, $123,073
10 f, 7 r, 6 w, 2 SW
Bred by E. P. Taylor
Raced 2 yrs, 18 s, SW, $580,647 NATALMA, 195
VICTORIA REGINA, 1958 MENETRIER, 1944
Bred by E. P. Taylor
Raced 3 yrs, 26 s, SW, $45,480 VICTORIANA, 1952
BUNTY'S FLIGHT, 1953 BUNTY LAWLESS, 1935
Bred by John Loughry
BROOMFLIGHT, 1947
Raced 3 yrs, 43 s, SW, $42,300
SHAKNEY, 1964 JABNEH, 1952
Bred by Louisa D'A Carpenter
Raced 1 yr, 8 s, unpl, $0 GRASS SHACK, 1951
SIR IVOR, 1965 SIR GAYLORD, 1959
Bred by Mrs. Reynolds W. Bell
Raced 2 yrs, 13 s, SW, $560,760 ATTICA, 1953
SUNDAY PURCHASE, 1970 T. V. LARK, 1957
Bred by Dr. Robert C. Austin Estate
Raced 2 yrs, 16 s, wnr, $13,683 DAME FRITCHIE, 1959
WISE EXCHANGE, 1965 PROMISED LAND, 1954
Bred by Bieber-Jacobs Stable
Raced 2 yrs, 27 s, SW, $173,867 COASTAL TRADE, 1951
JUNGLE WAR, 1964 BATTLE JOINED, 1959
Bred by H. F. Guggenheim
Raced 1 yr, 2 s, pl, $1,050 JOTA JOTA, 1954

Smart Strike had every reason to suc-
ceed at stud by virtue of his race record
and pedigree. He is a grade I-winning son
of legendary sire of sires Mr. Prospector
and was one of several major winners de-
scending from Ernie Samuel’s foundation
mare No Class.
The second dam of Smart Strike, No
Class produced six stakes winners. Smart
Strike’s dam, Classy ’n Smart, was one of
them. She was a Canadian classic win-
ner and champion, as well as a Canadian
Broodmare of the Year for Samuel in the
Sam-Son Farm name.
Classy ’n Smart’s success as a brood-
mare goes far beyond Smart Strike. A
daughter of Smarten, Classy ’n Smart is the
dam of three other stakes winners, includ-
ing 1991 Canadian Horse of the Year and
Triple Crown winner Dance Smartly, who
also earned an Eclipse Award as the top
3-year-old filly of 1991. Classy ’n Smart’s
two other graded stakes winners, Strike
Smartly and Full of Wonder, are full broth-
ers to Smart Strike.
Unlike Dance Smartly, Smart Strike
proved fragile throughout his career. Un-
raced at 2, he started only eight times over
the next two years.
“He had huge potential, but got hurt
on the racetrack before we could fully see
what he could do,” said Samuel’s daughter,
Tammy Samuel-Balaz, who took charge
of the Canadian-based Sam-Son following
the death of her father in 2000.
Trainer Mark Frostad also had huge
hopes for Smart Strike. “He was from a
great family and had tons of ability,” he
said. “When he was 3, I thought we were
going to win everything.”
Frostad might have been right the way
Smart Strike handled the competition
at Woodbine during the middle of 1995.
Against several up-and-coming stars,
Smart Strike beat Langfuhr and Mt. Sassa-
fras in one allowance race, and All Firmed
Up and Kiridashi in another. Unfortunate-
ly, the latter was his last race of the year.
Smart Strike, who was tall and lanky at
3, returned at 4 “pretty massive and a big,
strong horse,” according to Frostad.
Smart Strike started the year with an
optional claiming score at seven furlongs
in a quick 1:21.20 at Woodbine that got

T H E B L O O D - H O R S E ■ M AY 2 6 , 2 0 0 7 2997
 Frostad’s blood pumping. “It turned out
to be the best race of his career,” the con-
ditioner said. “He beat one of Frank Stro-
nach’s top sprinters (Goldminers Gold)
pretty impressively.”
After just that one start, Frostad felt
Smart Strike was ready for graded stakes
competition. Sent to Monmouth Park,
Smart Strike won the Salvator Mile Handi-
cap (gr. III), and then captured the Philip
H. Iselin Handicap (gr. I) at 11⁄16 miles over
Eltish, with top filly Serena’s Song finish-
ing third.
By that time, Smart Strike was a hot
item for stud. “We had been watching him
all along because of his pedigree, but after
he won the Iselin, that stamped him as a
top, high-dollar stallion prospect,” Bill Far-
ish said.
Smart Strike raced just once more be-
fore suffering a career-ending injury. He

cheryl manista photos

finished fourth in the Woodward Stakes
(gr. I), won by defending and subsequent
Horse of the Year Cigar, at Belmont Park
in mid-September. About two weeks later,
Smart Strike sustained a condylar fracture
to his left foreleg while exercising and was Sherriff’s Deputy, who resides at her owner’s
retired. Fares Farm; left, Sherriff’s Deputy’s
When it came time to decide where 2007 filly by Saint Liam
Smart Strike would stand at stud, Sam-Son
near Milton, Ontario, Canada, was never 2-year-old season in 1981 that he was voted
really considered. “He deserved to be in Canadian Horse of the Year. He went on to
succeed at stud, siring 87 stakes winners.
MALE LINE CHART Smart Strike’s stakes winners represent-
ing that cross also include multiple grade
Polynesian (’45)
Native Dancer (’53) I turf winner English Channel, Japan Cup
Dan Cupid Dirt (Jpn-I) winner Fleetstreet Dancer,
Sea-Bird Saratoga grade I winner Shadow Cast, and
Little Current (’74) Canadian champions Soaring Free, Eye of
Kauai King (’66)
Raise a Native
the Sphynx, Portcullis, and Gold Strike.
Alydar Millionaire Tenpins (out of a Deputy Min-
Alysheba (’87) ister mare) and grade III winner High
Exclusive Native Kentucky,” said Samuel-Balaz. “There was Strike Zone are some of the others.
Affirmed (’78) tremendous interest in him from a number Curlin is the seventh Preakness win-
Majestic Prince (’69)
Mr. Prospector
of farms, but we decided on Lane’s End. In ner in the last eight years descending in
Afleet all the years he’s been there, we’ve had a male line from Mr. Prospector (see chart
Northern Afleet great relationship with them.” at left). The one not tracing to Mr. Prospec-
Afleet Alex (’05) Smart Strike, who retired with six wins tor was last year’s winner, Bernardini, by
Fappiano from eight races and earnings of $337,376, A.P. Indy. A son of Seattle Slew, A.P. Indy
Quiet American
Real Quiet (’98) entered stud in 1997 for $30,000. Cigar’s stands at Lane’s End.
Unbridled $75,000 fee was the highest for an incom- Smart Strike, whose average winning
Red Bullet (’00) ing stallion. (Cigar proved sterile and failed distance was just short of a mile (7.92 fur-
Forty Niner to sire a single offspring.) longs), fits the profile of several of the Mr.
Distorted Humor Prospector-line stallions represented by
Funny Cide (’03) Famous Cross Preakness winners this decade. Our Em-
Gone West
Elusive Quality Although Curlin is Smart Strike’s first blem (sire of 2002 winner War Emblem),
Smarty Jones (’04) “really big horse,” Smart Strike has sired Distorted Humor (sire of 2003 winner
Gulch a number of “big horses.” And not surpris- Funny Cide), and Elusive Quality (sire of
Thunder Gulch ingly, most were produced from Northern 2004 winner Smarty Jones) were sprinter/
Point Given (’01)
Our Emblem Dancer-line mares, thus helping perpetu- milers. Another from the group, Northern
War Emblem (’02) ate the pedigree cross of Mr. Prospector- Afleet (sire of 2005 winner Afleet Alex),
Smart Strike line stallions bred to Northern Dancer-line won grade II stakes from seven to nine fur-
Curlin (’07) mares and vice versa. longs.
Tank’s Prospect (’85) Curlin, who bears that cross, is out of The other two sires from the Mr. Pros-
Woodman
Hansel (’91) the Deputy Minister mare Sherriff’s Dep- pector line with Preakness winners this
Timber Country (’95) uty. Sired by Northern Dancer’s son Vice decade, Unbridled (sire of 2000 winner
Bold face denotes Preakness winners Regent, Deputy Minister was so good his Red Bullet) and Thunder Gulch (sire of

2998 T H E B L O O D - H O R S E ■ M AY 2 6 , 2 0 0 7

RACE RECORD AND FAMILY NOTES
CURLIN, chestnut colt, foaled March 25, 2004
Bred in Kentucky by Fares Farm
CURLIN’S RACE AND (STAKES) RECORD
Year Age Sts 1st 2nd 3rd Earned
2007 at 3 5 4(3) 0 1(1) $1,602,800
Lifetime 5 4(3) 0 1(1) $1,602,800
Sire: SMART STRIKE, b, 1992. Raced 2 yrs, 8 sts, 6 wins, $337,376. Won Philip H. Iselin H (gr.
I), Salvator Mile H (gr. III).
Lifetime: 8 crops, 517 foals, 351 rnrs (68%), 262 wnrs (51%), 71 2yo wnrs (14%), 47 sw (9%), 2.65
AEI, 2.00 CI, 261 sale yrlgs, avg $74,746, 1.5 TNA.
In 2007: 8 sw, 87 2yos, 4 2yo rnrs, 1 2yo wnr, 3 sale yrlgs, avg $34,000.
1st dam: Sherriff’s Deputy, b, 1994. Bred by Fares Farm (Ky.). Unraced. Dam of 5 named foals, 5
rnrs, 3 wnrs, 1 sw.
1998: Deputy, dkb/br f, by Hadif. Raced 4 yrs, 20 sts, 4 wins, $52,020.
1999: Secret Wedge, gr/ro c, by Excellent Secret. Raced 3 yrs, 25 sts, 3 wins, $48,615.
2002: Ms Deep Cover, gr/ro f, by Excellent Secret. Raced 1 yr, 1 st, 0 wins, $2,750. Died 2005.
($11,000 texaug yrlg).
2003: Comic Hero, b g, by Wild Zone. Raced 2 yrs, 3 sts, 0 wins, $1,100. ($30,000 keejan yrlg;
CURLIN / PEDIGREE
$60,000 keesep yrlg).
2004: CURLIN, ch c, by Smart Strike. ($57,000 keesep yrlg).
At 3: Won Preakness S (gr. I), Arkansas Derby (gr. II), Rebel S (gr. III); 3rd Kentucky
Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I).
2005: Barren.
2006: F, by Medaglia d’Oro. Died 2006.
2007: F, by Saint Liam.
Broodmare sire: DEPUTY MINISTER, dkb/br, 1979-2004. Sire of 400 dams of 1,719 foals,
1,229 rnrs (71%), 883 wnrs (51%), 260 2yo wnrs (15%), 1.86 AEI, 1.61 CI; 136 sw.
2nd dam: BARBARIKA, b, 1985. Bred by Dr. Herman Kossow (Ky.). Raced 3 yrs in Fr and
NA, 16 sts, 7 wins, $347,253. Won Johnnie Walker Black Classic H (gr. II), Turfway Park
Budweiser Breeders’ Cup H (gr. III); 3rd Louisville Budweiser Breeders’ Cup H (gr. II).
3rd dam: WAR EXCHANGE, gr, 1972. Bred by Dr. A.E. Verdi (Md.). Raced 3 yrs, 48 sts, 10
wins, $123,073. Won Conniver H; 2nd Heirloom S, Dogwood S, Benjamin Franklin H,
Geisha H (R); 3rd Betsy Ross H, Marlboro Nursery S. Dam of LUCKY LADY LAUREN
(f, Carnivalay; $307,673, Won Arlington Matron H, gr. III, Wintergreen S, Flirtation S,
Forsythia S, Spring Bonnet S; 2nd Oktoberfest H, Kennard Warfield Jr. Group Maryland
Oaks, All Brandy H, What a Summer S; 3rd Ak-Sar-Ben Oaks, gr. III, Heavenly Cause
S; producer), Count On Kathy (f, Dancing Count; $66,884, 2nd Flirtation S, Politely S;
3rd Trevose S, Miss Delaware S, Caesar’s Wish H, Windfall H; dam of COUNT ON A
CHANGE, T. V. COUNTESS). Granddam of Big Deal, Rich N Clever.

2001 winner Point Given), were most suc-
cessful around two turns. Each won the
11⁄4-mile Kentucky Derby, with Thunder
Gulch also taking the 11⁄2 -mile Belmont
Stakes (gr. I).
Sam-Son, which increased its share total
in Smart Strike from 10 to 11 this year,
has achieved great success with the stal-
lion. Soaring Free, Eye of the Sphynx, and
Portcullis raced as Sam-Son homebreds,
as did other Smart Strike offspring Shoal
Water and Strike Softly. Soaring Free, who
was a Canadian Horse of the Year, has
been retired from racing with earnings of
more than $2 million. Eye of the Sphynx
currently is a Sam-Son broodmare. Strike
Softly, a three-time stakes winner last year,
won the May 13 Hendrie Stakes (Can-III)
at Woodbine.
“Sam-Son has been instrumental in
making Smart Strike,” Bill Farish said.
“His early success was due to them.”
Farish also has a big reason
to smile over Smart Strike’s suc-
cess. Shadow Cast, whose big
win came in the Personal En-
sign Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga,
was bred and raced by Farish
and is owned by him and his
father. Shadow Cast produced
her first offspring, an A.P. Indy
filly this year, and is in foal to
Storm Cat.
Not unexpectedly, Smart
Strike’s fee has risen smartly. It
now is $75,000. Ironically, the
only year it ever dropped was
in 2003, the year Curlin was
conceived. It had fallen from
$30,000 to $20,000.
tony leonard
Deputy, received a dose of graded stakes-
winning class from his second dam, Bar-
barika. Bred in Kentucky by Dr. Herman
Kossow, Barbarika raced for Issam Fares’
Fares Farm, which also is the breeder of
Curlin.
Barbarika’s career was highlighted by
a five-race win streak that included an
impressive score over millionaire Fit for a
Queen in the 1990 Johnnie Walker Black
Classic Handicap (gr. II) at Gulfstream
Park. Later that year, Barbarika won two
straight, including the Turfway Park Bud-
weiser Breeders’ Cup Handicap (gr. III) at
11⁄16 miles. She also was stakes-placed that
year in the Louisville Budweiser Breeders’
Cup Handicap (gr. II) at Churchill Downs.
Although Curlin is the sole stakes win-
ner descending from Barbarika, he is one
of several tracing from his stakes-winning
third dam, War Exchange. The latter’s
descendants also include Eclipse Award-
winning 2-year-old filly Countess Diana
and multiple grade I winner Exogenous.
The decision to breed Smart Strike to
Sherriff’s Deputy in 2003 was made with
the intention of creating two viable op-
tions. According to Fares Farm general
manager Shannon White, Smart Strike’s
offspring had proved successful at the
racetrack and/or in the sale ring. The farm
would decide whether to sell the resultant
foal or retain it for racing purposes.
Curlin ended up going through the 2005
Keeneland September yearling sale, where
he was bought for $57,000 by trainer Ken-
neth McPeek, agent. Eaton Sales consigned
him as agent.
Curlin made his first start for Midnight
Cry Stables, winning by 123⁄4 lengths at
Gulfstream, after which Bolton, Stones-
treet, and Padua bought an interest in the
colt. Curlin then won the Rebel Stakes (gr.
III) and Arkansas Derby (gr. II), both at
Oaklawn Park.
Sheriff’s Deputy produced
a Saint Liam filly Feb. 7 for
Fares Farm. She had been
bred to Smart Strike this
year, but is not in foal.
Fares Farm put Sherriff’s
Deputy’s broodmare career
on hold last year. “She has
been bothered by a slab frac-
ture, and we wanted to see
how she carried the foal,”
White said. “We thought
about giving her a year off,
but then Curlin turned up,
and we re-evaluated the de-
cision.”
Deputy Minister is also

the broodmare sire of 2006

Family Ties Belmont Stakes winner Jazil
Curlin, who is the first stakes and 2002 Belmont winner
winner from unraced Sherriff’s Broodmare sire Deputy Minister Sarava. b

T H E B L O O D - H O R S E ■ M AY 2 6 , 2 0 0 7 2999
 first rate
Trainer Todd Pletcher gets initial classic
win with Tabor/Smith-owned filly
w w w . b l o o d h o r s e . c o m

®
International Thoroughbred Breeding and Racing June 16, 2007/No.24

Wonder
Woman
rags to riches (left)
beats curlin; first
filly to win belmont
in 102 years
 jewels of the triple crown

Stonestreet Stables, Padua Stables, George Bolton, and Mid-

R acing fans didn’t get the Triple Crown winner they’ve

been waiting for since 1978, the year Affirmed swept
the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes
night Cry Stables. Pletcher, with Tabor and Smith’s blessings,
said he very well might run Rags to Riches against colts again.
Wherever and whenever Street Sense, Curlin, and Rags to
(all gr. I). The tough-as-nails colt was the third Triple Crown Riches show up in the same starting gate, will be the race of
winner of the 1970s, following Secretariat in 1973 and Seattle the year. Let’s hope for racing’s benefit that it happens.
Slew in 1977.
What fans got this year were three incredible horse races Triple Crown on the Decline?
that ended with three very accomplished and deserving win- Business was down from last year at all three Triple Crown
ners, punctuated by the history-making performance of Rags tracks. Belmont Park attracted just 46,870 fans for the Bel-
to Riches, the first filly winner of the Belmont since Tanya in mont Stakes, an anemic figure when you consider that Santa
1905. Her heart-pounding Anita Park drew a crowd of
stretch run against Preak- 56,810 for the Santa Anita
ness winner Curlin will go What fans got this Derby (gr. I).
down as one of the greatest This is the second consecu-
performances in the 139-year year were three tive year the Triple Crown has
history of the Belmont.
Street Sense made history,
incredible horse gone without a corporate
sponsor, following the deci-
too, with his victory in the races with three sion by VISA to end its affili-
Kentucky Derby Presented by ation in 2005. Last year also
Yum! Brands. With that win, accomplished and was the first year telecasts of
he became the first Bessemer the three races were split be-
Trust Breeders’ Cup Juvenile deserving winners tween NBC (Derby and Preak-
(gr. I) winner to capture the ness) and ABC (Belmont)
Derby, ending the 23-year-old “juvenile jinx.” since an entity called Triple Crown Productions was formed
Street Sense was denied his chance at the Triple Crown in 1985 to promote the series and package it for television
when Curlin nipped him by a head at the wire in the Preak- networks and sponsors.
ness. That race provided fans at Pimlico with one of the most Chrysler came on-board as a sponsor in 1986, offering a
exciting Preakness finishes in years and gave Curlin a mea- $5-million payoff to a Triple Crown winner and $1 million
sure of revenge for what was then his only career loss, which to the horse with the best showing in all three races. The lat-
he suffered when third to Street Sense in the Derby. ter bonus was dropped by the time VISA became the Triple
When owner James Tafel opted not to run Street Sense Crown’s sponsor in 1996.
in the Belmont, he took more than a little heat from the The Breeders’ Cup, working through the National Thor-
media and general public for diminishing the importance oughbred Racing Association, has attracted a host of corpo-
of America’s oldest and, at 1½ miles, longest classic. Turns rate partners for its World Championships. The NTRA has of-
out that by avoiding a rematch with Curlin, Tafel and trainer fered to help sell sponsorships on behalf of the Triple Crown,
Carl Nafzger helped convince trainer Todd Pletcher and own- but the Triple Crown host tracks have repeatedly said they
ers Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith to test Rags to Riches don’t need any assistance.
against colts in the Belmont. I beg to differ. If racing can’t find a sponsor for its marquee
What the public wants to see now is a contest matching series, it most certainly needs help from someone. b
all three of the Triple Crown race winners. Street Sense is Ray Paulick
being pointed for the Travers Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga Aug. Editor-in-Chief
25. There is no definite plan known for Curlin, who races for rpaulick@bloodhorse.com

THE BLOOD-HORSE ■ JUNE 16, 2007 3321

 Ragsto
rags toriches
riches

That Girl!
Rags to Riches (left) is
racing’s latest star off her
thrilling win over Curlin

by steve haskin

mike corrado
 C
all it fate. Call it kismet. Whatever title you prefer, Rags to Riches seemed destined to
give trainer Todd Pletcher and jockey John Velazquez their first classic winner.
Although “Johnny V” has been Pletcher’s first-call rider for years, it took a last-
­minute decision to run the filly and a madcap jockey scramble to bring them together for the
139th Belmont Stakes (gr. I).
Because of their longtime relationship and numerous frustrations and disappointments in the
classics, you had the feeling that when their moment did come it would be with great fanfare.
But how could that be achieved? Pletcher has never been known to evoke such fervor, espe-
cially from the New York fans. Because of his never-ending arsenal of stakes winners, his stoic
personality in the public arena, and his unprecedented domination of New York racing, he would
need a special horse to reach into people’s hearts and allow them to see the soul that lies within
Team Pletcher’s machine-like organization.

Regally bred Rags to Riches gives trainer Todd Pletcher

and jockey John Velazquez their first classic win

david alcosser

A test of heart and soul: Rags to Riches defeats Curlin by a head after a demanding stretch duel in the Belmont

3324 THE BLOOD-HORSE ■ JUNE 16, 2007

adam coglianese
Rags to riches

Sterling Silver: From left, co-owner Michael Tabor, trainer Todd Pletcher, jockey John Velazquez, and co-owner Derrick Smith
Rags to Riches was such a horse, and Curlin put Rags to Riches in scalding Rags to Riches, who had stumbled badly
when Pletcher provided the final leg of the water down the Belmont stretch, but it was at the start and then raced wide the entire
Triple Crown with a much-needed shot in he who got burned. way, took the outside route, while Curlin,
the arm by announcing his $1.9-million who had saved ground, split horses inside
glamour queen would take on the mighty her with a quick burst of speed. Now, as
Curlin and other top colts in the 11⁄2-mile FILLY WINNERS OF they honed in on each other, it was time
classic, he lit the fuse that would set off TRIPLE CROWN RACES to see which one had the strongest will.
a raucous round of fireworks at Belmont It was a classic male vs. female confron-
Year Filly Race
Park June 9. tation, something you don’t see in most
Four days after the decision by Pletcher 2007 Rags to Riches Belmont other sports.
and owners Michael Tabor and Derrick 1988 Winning Colors Derby Rags to Riches’ powerful four-wide
1980 Genuine Risk Derby
Smith to run Rags to Riches, there she move had enabled her to outrun Curlin
1924 Nellie Morris Preakness
was, charging down the stretch in the Bel- 1915 Regret Derby
and establish a slight advantage turning
mont locked in furious combat with the 1915 Rhine Maiden Preakness for home. Curlin fought back, as both
brilliant, tough, and determined Curlin, 1906 Whimsical Preakness horses switched to their right lead on cue.
whose meteoric rise to stardom was one 1905 Tanya Belmont Velazquez threw a wide cross on the reins
victory away from taking on legendary 1903 Flocarline Preakness to gather the filly, while Robby Albarado
proportions. 1867 Ruthless Belmont went to a right-handed whip, causing Curl-
The crowd of 46,870, the smallest since in to duck in, away from the filly. When Al-
1996, was on its feet as the feisty filly and barado switched to a series of left-handed
the brawny colt looked each other in the Just watching her whips, Curlin came back out and bumped
eye, neither budging an inch. One of the Rags to Riches. But the filly, who has been
great battles in Triple Crown history was the very first time manhandling humans since she was a
on. baby, was not about to be intimidated by
There is a saying attributed to both El-
she breezed, it was obvious the powerful chestnut. Albarado contin-
eanor Roosevelt and Carl Sandburg: “A she was pretty special. ued to hit Curlin left-handed, and again
woman is like a tea bag. It’s only when he came out and bumped Rags to Riches,
she’s in hot water that you realize how to d d p l e t c h e r who again shrugged it off.
strong she is.” (continued on page 3328)

THE BLOOD-HORSE ■ JUNE 16, 2007 3325

 (continued from page 3325)
Velazquez resorted to only a single left-
handed whip, then switched and gave her
one right-handed whip. Her blood was up,
and Velazquez realized she needed little
encouragement. Although Curlin kept dig-
ging in and battling back, Rags to Riches
refused to relinquish her head advantage.
As she eased in slightly and Curlin again
came out into her, the two were leaning all
over each other as the wire approached.
Most horses, especially fillies, would
have been intimidated by the contact from
a bruiser like Curlin, but Rags to Riches
seemed to relish this test of superiority.
Velazquez now was just waving the whip
Framed by the tunnel at Belmont Park that leads from the backstretch to the paddock, Rags to Riches heads for a schooling session
3328 THE BLOOD-HORSE ■ JUNE 16, 2007
and leaving it all up to her. With sheer
grit, determination, and tenacity, Rags to
Riches kept her head advantage to the fin-
ish following a sizzling final quarter-mile
in :23.83.
The daughter of A.P. Indy out of Better
Than Honour, by Deputy Minister, had be-
come the first filly in 102 years to win the
Belmont, joining Ruthless, who won the
inaugural running in 1867, and Tanya, in
1905. Rags to Riches’ half-brother, Jazil,
captured the Belmont last year for Pletch-
er’s former colleague and close friend
Kiaran McLaughlin. Both Pletcher and
McLaughlin once worked as assistants to
D. Wayne Lukas.
Throughout the grandstand, the disci-
plined Pletcher machine unraveled in a
burst of emotion during the stretch run.
Burdened with an 0-for-28 record in Triple
Crown races, Pletcher unleashed a flurry
of eight short jabs into an invisible op-
ponent, while urging on his filly: “Come
on, baby; come on, baby,” he pleaded. As
she crossed the finish line, he jumped up,
flinging his fist in the air, and then kissed
his wife Tracy, knocking her hat off.
Pletcher’s rush of adrenaline was able to
briefly overpower the body aches and fever
that had knocked him out for two days.
So bad was his flu, he awoke five times
the night before the Belmont and had to
BARBARA D. LIVINGSTON
 Rags to riches

When they came down

the stretch, I was out
of my seat riding her
as hard as anybody.
seth benzel

change his T-shirt each time because he

was sweating so profusely. His stable crew
realized how sick he was when he didn’t
show up at the barn Saturday morning.
Rags to Riches’ exercise rider, Lauren
Robson, watched in a nearby box with
Velazquez’ wife, Leona, and her family
and Velazquez’ longtime friend and agent,
Hall of Fame rider Angel Cordero Jr.
“There were drinks flying everywhere,”
Robson said. “Leona was in tears right
away and she put me in tears. It was so
great because Todd and Johnny have been
together for so long.”
Assistant trainer Seth Benzel, who has
90 horses at Saratoga, watched the race on
TV at home. “I didn’t stop shaking until 1
o’clock last night,” he said the next morn-
ing. “When they came down the stretch,
I was out of my seat riding her as hard as
anybody.”
SKIP DICKSTEIN

Watching at Churchill Downs was assis-

tant Mike McCarthy, who has been with
Rags to Riches for most of her career, and
Pletcher and his team are able to enjoy that classic feeling
in fact was her trainer of record for her first
two starts this year while Pletcher was Marjorie, in January 2001. life was over. That was the end of me. Time
serving a suspension. “Johnny and Todd came into my life at may help the wounds feel a little better, but
“I can’t even put into words what it was the right time and they both helped me it never heals them. It’s been almost seven
like watching her,” McCarthy said. “At the deal with my loss,” Cordero said. “I love years since she died, and I still miss her
three-eighths pole I kept thinking this is my career, but I lost half of my heart when and I still cry for her. God gave me a great
really going to happen. And then at the my wife died. Other than my kids I didn’t career and a great woman, but it was my
quarter pole I thought, ‘This is it. This is have anything I wanted anymore. I was kids and Johnny and Todd that kept my
what we’ve been working for.’ After it was too old to still be a good athlete and I knew life together.”
over there was a feeling of closure. We had I’d never find a woman like her, so, to me, The Pletcher organization has been
made history, and Todd finally had his perceived by most to be fueled by nothing
classic. That meant a lot to us.” more than wins and dollar signs, but it took
Cordero won his share of Triple Crown FILLY PARTICIPANTS IN THE a special filly to show the world that there
races during his career, but this one was TRIPLE CROWN SINCE 1950 is a passion and a love for the horse that is
extra special. It was Cordero who discov- first and foremost behind its success.
Year Filly Race Finish
ered Velazquez from a videotape of the The story of the 2007 Belmont actually
apprentice rider in action in Puerto Rico. 2007 Rags to Riches Belmont 1st began with the pop heard round the rac-
Cordero brought Velazquez to America 1999 Silverbulletday Belmont 7th ing world. When trainer Carl Nafzger and
1999 Three Ring Derby 19th
and mentored the young rider, eventually owner James Tafel stuck the proverbial
1999 Excellent Meeting Preakness Did not finish
taking over Velazquez’ book following 1999 Excellent Meeting Derby 5th
pin in the Belmont balloon, withdrawing
his retirement as a jockey and as a train- 1996 My Flag Belmont 3rd Street Sense from the race, it all but de-
er, and hooked him up with Pletcher as 1995 Serena’s Song Derby 16th flated the third leg of the Triple Crown.
his No. 1 rider. From the time Velazquez 1988 Winning Colors Belmont 6th Without the winner of the Kentucky Derby
came to this country, he has looked up to 1988 Winning Colors Preakness 3rd Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), the Bel-
Cordero as a father figure. 1988 Winning Colors Derby 1st mont looked to be a mundane affair with
1984 Life’s Magic Derby 8th
Since the union of Cordero, Velazquez, Preakness Stakes (gr. I) winner Curlin tak-
1984 Althea Derby 19th
and Pletcher, the three have formed a bond 1982 Cupecoy’s Joy Derby 10th
ing on a small group of challengers.
that goes far beyond that of agent, jockey, 1980 Genuine Risk Belmont 2nd “I told Mr. Tafel that some people are
and trainer. It is about friendship and loy- 1980 Genuine Risk Preakness 2nd going to love us and some people are going
alty. Cordero, who also exercises horses 1980 Genuine Risk Derby 1st to hate us,” Nafzger said. “We were going
for Pletcher, needed both desperately after 1959 Silver Spoon Derby 5th to the Triple Crown, and I didn’t think they
the tragic hit-and-run death of his wife, 1954 Riverina Belmont 7th were going to beat this colt. I got cocky, but

THE BLOOD-HORSE ■ JUNE 16, 2007 3329

 when Curlin kicked my butt, and he did “Ron came by and said, ‘What are you
kick my butt, it changed things. I was so let Velazquez and Pletcher going to do with the filly?’ ” Pletcher said.
down after the Preakness.” “I said I really don’t think we’re going
Street Sense’s defection left Curlin as the are part of the same family. to run if Street Sense, Curlin, and Hard
sole headliner in the Belmont, much to the Spun all run. I thought Street Sense was
dismay of racing fans, the New York Rac-
How can you not ride going to run at that stage. Ron was able to
ing Association, and ABC, which had seen for your family? buy a couple of days, but he was getting
its Triple Crown storyline disappear in the pressure to make a commitment, so I told
closing jump of the Preakness. Then the g r eg f ox him, ‘You’ve got to do what you have to
big showdown angle evaporated as well. do, and I can’t blame you. I don’t want to
All that remained was Curlin, racing’s bud- hold you up.’ ”
ding superstar whose main competition aboard Rags to Riches, had little hope of Anderson took the mount on Hard
looked to be the indefatigable Hard Spun, lining up a mount from Pletcher in the Spun, but when Street Sense was with-
the only other combatant from the Derby Belmont, so he signed on to ride Coolmore drawn and Rags to Riches eventually was
and Preakness still looking for a fight. Lexington Stakes (gr. II) and Lone Star declared a starter the day before entries
When Hard Spun’s trainer, Larry Jones, Derby (gr. III) winner Slew’s Tizzy. were drawn, he went to Jones to survey
and owner Rick Porter agreed to replace When Rags to Riches’ regular rider, Gar- the situation, and Jones said he intended
jockey Mario Pino, it set wheels in mo- rett Gomez, had a chance to replace Pino for Gomez to ride Hard Spun as agreed
tion in several directions. Velazquez, who on Hard Spun, his agent, Ron Anderson, upon. That opened the door for Cordero
had ridden Circular Quay in the Derby asked Pletcher about the filly’s Belmont and Velazquez, but they too had made a
and Preakness, and who had never been status. commitment and needed to be released by
Slew’s Tizzy’s trainer, Greg Fox.
“I wasn’t surprised when they came
THE R ES U L TS to me,” Fox said. “It’s very much a part
1ô MILES. (2.24) 139TH RUNNING OF THE BELMONT. Grade I. Purse $1,000,000 FOR THREE YEAR of racing, and I told them they could ride
OLDS. By subscription of $600 each, to accompany the nomination, if made on or before January 21, 2007,
or $6,000, if made on or before March 31, 2007. At any time prior to the closing time of entries, horses may
the filly and I would make an adjustment.
ELEVENTH RACE be nominated to The Belmont Stakes upon payment of a supplementary fee of $100,000 to the New York John Velazquez and Todd Pletcher are part
Belmont Racing Association, Inc. $10,000 to pass the entry box and $10,000 additional to start. All entrants,
supplemental or otherwise, will be required to pay entry and starting fees. The purse to be divided 60%
of the same family as far as I’m concerned.
JUNE 9, 2007 to the winner, 20% to second, 11% to third, 6% to fourth and 3% to fifth. Colts and Geldings, 126 lbs.; How can you not ride for your family?”
Fillies, 121 lbs. The winning owner will be presented with the August Belmont Memorial Cup to be
retained for one year as welllas a trophy for permanent possession and trophies to the winning trainer So, Velazquez somehow had found
and jockey.
Value of Race: $1,000,000 Winner $600,000; second $200,000; third $110,000; fourth $60,000; fifth $30,000. Mutuel Pool $14,293,992.00 Exacta
his way aboard Rags to Riches. Des-
Pool $7,350,521.00 Trifecta Pool $8,470,648.00 Superfecta Pool $3,546,469.00 tiny seemed to be directing Pletcher and
Last Raced Horse M/Eqt. A. Wt PP ² ¶ 1 1² Str Fin Jockey Odds $1
Velazquez, who was 0-for-20 in Triple
4Ü07 ¦¥CD¦ Rags to Riches L 3 121 7 6¬ 5¦ 5¦ô 1Ç 1Ç 1Ç Velazquez J R 4.30
19Ü07 ¦§Pim¦ Curlin L 3 126 3 3Ç 4ô 4ô 2Ç 2ª 2ªô Albarado R J 1.10 Crown races, to their first classic victory.
5Ü07 ¦¥CD¬ Tiago L 3 126 2 5Ç 6« 6¬ 5¤ 3§ô 3ªô Smith M E 6.80 How appropriate it would be to have
19Ü07 ¦§Pim¨ Hard Spun L 3 126 6 4¦ 3ô 3ô 3ô 4¨ô 4©õ Gomez G K 4.90 Rags to Riches get the albatross off Pletch-
19Ü07 ¦§Pim© C P West L 3 126 4 1Ç 1Ç 1Ç 4¦ 5« 5¦ö Prado E S 12.40 er’s back. When Lukas was getting ham-
5Ü07 ¦¥CD© Imawildandcrzyguy L b 3 126 1 7 7 7 7 6¤ 6¦¬ Guidry M 9.30 mered by the media for being 0-for-12 in
12Ü07 ¦¥LS¦ Slew's Tizzy L 3 126 5 2¦ô 2¦ 2ô 6ô 7 7 Bejarano R 18.30
OFF AT 6:29 Start Good For All But RAGS TO RICHES. Won driving. Track fast.
the Kentucky Derby, despite his unprec-
TIME :24¨, :50, 1:15¦, 1:40¦, 2:04©, 2:28¨ (:24.74, :50.14, 1:15.32, 1:40.23, 2:04.91, 2:28.74) edented success in other races, it took a
7 - RAGS TO RICHES 10.60 4.40 3.20 filly, Winning Colors, to break his losing
$2 Mutuel Prices: 3 - CURLIN 3.00 2.30 streak. After that, the floodgates opened
2 - TIAGO 3.70
$2 EXACTA 7-3 PAID $25.20 $2 TRIFECTA 7-3-2 PAID $131.50 for Lukas.
$2 SUPERFECTA 7-3-2-6 PAID $242.50 Pletcher felt Rags to Riches, who was
Ch. f, (Feb), by A.P. Indy - Better Than Honour , by Deputy Minister . Trainer Pletcher Todd A. Bred by Skara Glen
Stables (Ky).
bred in Kentucky by Skara Glen Stables,
RAGS TO RICHES stumbled at the start, moved up from outside and was carried out a bit leaving the first turn, settled just was special the minute he laid eyes on her.
outside the leaders while six wide along the backstretch, raced in hand while continuing wide to the far turn, launched her bid in “I saw her at the Keeneland September
the four path midway on the turn, surged to the front approaching the quarter pole, dug in when challenged again by CURLIN in
midstretch, fought gamely while heads apart into deep stretch and prevailed under right hand urging in the final twenty yards.
yearling sale and loved her then,” he said.
CURLIN was taken in hand soon after the start, settled in good position while saving ground leaving the first turn, came out “She had a great head and a smart eye.
slightly between horses entering the backstretch, was rated in good position through the opening mile, saved ground on the far She was very well balanced and athletic-
turn, waited patiently behind horses midway on the turn, split rivals to launch his bid nearing the quarter pole, fought heads
apart entering the stretch, drifted in under right hand urging at the three-sixteenths pole, fought back bravely to threaten the
looking, with a great walk. You see all that
winner a furlong out then exchanged mild bumps with that rival while yielding grudgingly in the late stages. TIAGO hit the side and then you look down at the pedigree
of the gate and broke inward bumping with IMAWILDANDCRAZYGUY at the start, was unhurried in the early stages, checked page and you say, ‘Wow!’ We got her in at
slightly when CURLIN came out entering the backstretch, raced within striking distance slightly off the rail to the far turn,
checked slightly in traffic midway on the turn, came in a bit while rallying at the top of the stretch then finished willingly while Churchill in early April last year and start-
ed breezing her Derby week. Just watch-
COPYRIGHT 2007, DAILY RACING FORM INC. AND EQUIBASE CO. LLC

no match for the top pair. HARD SPUN raced erratically while fighting his rider and tucking in a bit in the early stages, drifted
out on the first turn, stalked the leaders five wide along the backstretch, continued wide while lodging a mild bid to threaten ing her the very first time she breezed, it
approaching the quarter pole then tired through the final quarter of a mile. C P WEST drifted out a bit in the early stages,
moved up to gain the early advantage, set the pace well off the rail along the backstretch, set the pace in hand to the turn and was obvious she was pretty special.”
steadily tired thereafter. IMAWILDANDCRAZYGUY bumped at the start, trailed for most of the trip while saving ground. Pletcher, Tabor, and Smith knew what
SLEW'S TIZZY pressed the pace four wide to the final turn and gave way. they had right from the start from the glow-
Owners- 1, Tabor Michael B and Smith Derrick; 2, Stonestreet Stables Padua Stables Bolton George Midnight Cry Stable; 3, Moss Mr
and Mrs Jerome S; 4, Fox Hill Farms Inc; 5, LaPenta Robert V; 6, Pell Lewis and Eigner Michael; 7, Joseph Lacombe Stable Inc ing reports from David Scanlon, who broke
Trainers- 1, Pletcher Todd A; 2, Asmussen Steven M; 3, Shirreffs John; 4, Jones J Larry; 5, Zito Nicholas P; 6, Kaplan William A; 7, the filly at his training center in Ocala, Fla.
Fox Gregory “We used to call her the runway model,
$2 Daily Double (7-7) Paid $53.00 ; Daily Double Pool $506,506 . because she was all legs and absolutely
$2 Pick Three (4-7-7) Paid $468.00 ; Pick Three Pool $597,732 . gorgeous,” Scanlon said. “But she had her
$2 Pick Four (4-4-7-7) Paid $5,472.00 ; Pick Four Pool $1,708,265 . own attitude. She was a dominant female.
$2 Pick Six (4-2-4-4-7-7) 6 Correct Paid $417,207.00 ; Pick Six Pool $1,312,246 .
$2 Pick Six (4-2-4-4-7-7) 5 Correct Paid $3,344.00 . When you walked in the barn, she’d have
her head sticking out, and when you went

3330 THE BLOOD-HORSE ■ JUNE 16, 2007

 Rags to riches
to pet her she’d stomp her feet and start
squealing. She had her own regimen and
you did things to fit her schedule.”
After finishing an excellent fourth
in her career debut, in which she broke
slowly, dropped back to last, and had to
go seven-wide, she was sent to Saratoga,
but suffered a setback that required time,
and was shipped to Ashford Stud near Ver-
sailles, Ky.
When Rags to Riches returned late
last year, she was ready to conquer the
world. But she was still quite a handful,
so Pletcher contacted Diane Volz, who has
been doing physical therapy on Pletcher’s
horses for years, and asked her to order an-
other CHI infrasound machine, which she
hooked up above Rags to Riches’ stall.
“The first time I worked on her she came
at me with her mouth wide open,” Volz
recalled. “But with the CHI she’s come
around and mellowed. The CHI stimulates
the alpha waves—or early sleep waves—
and helps them settle down and relax.”
MIKE CORRADO

Rags to Riches broke her maiden at

Santa Anita in spectacular fashion by
six lengths, after which she won the Las
Steve Asmussen, trainer of the runner-up, said the colt was a “throwback” and a “competitor”
Virgenes Stakes (gr. I) with an amazing
wide run throughout. That was followed one more race to go. “A Belmont victory four or five wide. Down the backstretch,
by easy victories in the Santa Anita Oaks would certainly pick my head up,” he said C P West still led through dawdling frac-
(gr. I) and Kentucky Oaks (gr. I), the latter as he headed to the paddock. tions of :24.74, :50.14, and 1:15.32, while
over a sealed muddy track. Any thoughts of victory were dimin- racing three paths off the rail. Rags to
Then came her unscheduled quest for ished at the start when Rags to Riches Riches, sent off at 4-1, was seven wide, with
greatness in the Belmont, which drew a stumbled coming out of the gate. “My Curlin, the even-money favorite, tucked in
field of seven that also included Santa heart stopped,” Velazquez said. “The on the inside behind C P West and Slew’s
Anita Derby (gr. I) winner Tiago; Imawild­ first thing I thought of was, hopefully, she Tizzy and directly inside Hard Spun.
andcrazyguy, a fast-closing fourth in the doesn’t pull a shoe and get hurt.” After a mile in a lethargic 1:40.23, Gomez
Kentucky Derby; and Preakness fourth- made his move on Hard Spun, with Curlin
place finisher C P West. still biding his time waiting for an open-
Pletcher’s Belmont day wasn’t going
very well, as he suffered defeats in the The reception after the ing. Rags to Riches made steady progress
on the far outside and moved up to chal-
Birdstone Stakes with A. P. Arrow; the lenge. Just then, Albarado, with a watch-
True North Handicap (gr. II) with Keyed race gave Velazquez ful eye on the filly, shot Curlin through a
Entry; the Just a Game Stakes (gr. IIT) with gap between C P West and Hard Spun and
Wait a While; and the Woody Stephens goose bumps seemed to have beaten Rags to Riches to
Breeders’ Cup Stakes (gr. II) with Deadly the punch. But Rags to Riches also surged
Dealer. His fortunes changed with Cotton and charged past Curlin by nearly a half-
Blossom’s victory in the Acorn Stakes (gr. She never missed a beat, but was in length. However, the Preakness winner
I), but he suffered another defeat when danger of going extremely wide when C P battled back and the race for greatness was
English Channel was beaten a head in the West floated Slew’s Tizzy out toward the on.
Manhattan Handicap (gr. IT). middle of the track. Velazquez was able to With the crowd cheering wildly, Rags
Weak and rubber-legged, Pletcher had move in several paths, but was still some to Riches, in receipt of a five-pound sex

P AST P E R F O R M A N CES
COPYRIGHT 2007, DAILY RACING FORM INC. AND EQUIBASE CO. LLC

Daily Racing Form rtr. Thoroughbred

0 $1,292,528 107 D.Fst 5 4 0 0 $960,100 107
Rags to Riches Ch. f. 3 (Feb) KEESEP05 $1,900,000
Sire: A.P. Indy (Seattle Slew) $300,000
Life 6 5 0
Own: Tabor Michael B. and Smith, Derrick Dam:Better Than Honour (Deputy Minister) 2007 5 5 0 0 $1,290,028 107 Wet(434) 1 1 0 0 $332,428 104
Synth 0 0 0 0 $0 -
Br: Skara Glen Stables (Ky) 2006 1 M 0 0 $2,500 62 Turf(316) 0 0 0 0 $0 -
Tr: Pletcher Todd A(52 18 8 11 .35) 2007:(476 132 .28)
0 0 0 0 $0 - Dst(0) 0 0 0 0 $0 -
9Þ07=11Bel fst 1¶ :50 1:15¦ 2:04©2:28¨ Belmont-G1 107 7 5§ 5¦ô 1Ç 1Ç 1Ç Velazquez J R L121 4.30 94= 06 Rags to Riches121Ç Curlin126ªô Tiago126ªô Stumb brk, wide trip 7
4Ü07=10CD myø 1° :47©1:12¨ 1:37©1:49© çKyOaks-G1 104 11 4¦ 5§ô 5§ 1§ 1©õ Gomez G K L121 *1.50 87= 14 Rags to Riches121©õ Octave121¨ô High Heels121¨õ 4w,widen,hand urging 14
11à07= 9SA fst 1Â :23¦ :47 1:11¨1:42© çSAOaks-G1 96 5 5¨ 3ô 3ô 1¨ô 1ªô Gomez G K LB122 *.40 86= 12 RgstoRiches122ªô SilvrSwllow122¦ CshIncludd122§ô 3wd,strong hand ride 5
Previously trained by McCarthy Michael W 2006: ( 1 0 0 0 0.00 )
10á07= 9SA fst 1 :23¦ :47§ 1:11©1:37© çLsVrgnes-G1 93 8 7ªô 7¨ö 6¨ 4§ô 1ö Gomez G K LB116 *2.70 79= 26 RgstoRiches116ö BronssThtchr120§ RunwyRosi120¦ö 5wd into lane,rallied 8
7â07= 2SA fst 7f :22¨ :45© 1:09©1:22§ çMd Sp Wt 46k 88 4 5 3¦ 3É 1§ô 1« Gomez G K LB121 2.30 88= 09 RgstoRiches121« IronButtrfly121«õ FlighttoCsh121§ô Rid out,in hand late 7
Previously trained by Pletcher Todd A 2006(as of 6/10): ( 518 154 103 60 0.30 )
10Þ06= 6CD fst 5ôf :22 :45¨ :57§1:03§ çMd Sp Wt 48k 62 3 10 10¦¥ 10®õ 6¬ô 4«õ Blanc B L119 3.20 95= 11 Change Up119« Sheets119É High Heels119ó Slow start,7w bid 10
WORKS: Þ3 Bel 5f fst 1:03© B 16/18 Ü27 Bel 5f fst 1:00¨ B 5/29 Ü21 Bel 4f fst :48¦ B 22/70 ß29 Keeú5f fst 1:00¦ B 11/28 ß22 Keeú5f fst 1:00¦ B 11/32 ß15 Keeú6f fst 1:13§ H 1/2

THE BLOOD-HORSE ■ JUNE 16, 2007 3331


allowance, won by a head in 2:28.74,
with a game Curlin finishing 51⁄2 lengths
ahead of Tiago, who was compromised
by a severe bumping incident with
Imawildandcrazyguy at the break, the
slow pace, traffic problems, and a dread-
ful stay in the pre-race monitoring barn,
which necessitated his having to be
taken outside to graze.
The ovation for Rags to Riches swelled
as Velazquez brought her up the stretch
and saluted the crowd. “As a rule, we’re
probably the ones everybody’s rooting
Velazquez responds to the crowd that heartily cheered for the filly against the boys
3332 THE BLOOD-HORSE ■ JUNE 16, 2007
rags to riches
against,” Pletcher said. “But this reception
was unbelievable.” Velazquez said it gave BELMONT
him goose bumps. FACTS & FIGURES
“That was unreal,” Tabor said. “What
a filly. I have so much confidence in her. I $1,900,000
always thought she could do it.” Price tag for Rags to Riches at the 2005
Trainer Steve Asmussen said he was Keeneland September yearling sale
“very proud” of Curlin, calling him a
throwback. “I can’t say enough about him; $1,000,000
he’s a competitor,” he said. “And she’s a Purse of the Belmont Stakes
deserving classic winner. To lose one the
exact same way we won one, we better $300,000
learn how to take it.” Stud fee of A.P. Indy, sire of Rags to Riches
46,870
Attendance at this year’s Belmont
24
Winning percentage in graded stakes for
the trainer/jockey combo of Todd Pletcher
and John Velazquez (125 of 519)
22
Number of fillies to run in the Belmont
19
Years since the last filly won
a U.S. classic race
(Winning Colors, Kentucky Derby, 1988)
5
The weight break (126 to 121)
Rags to Riches received from
her male counterparts
3
Number of horses to win a Triple Crown
race in 2007; second year in a row there
were three different winners
2
Number of Belmont winners out of the
mare Better Than Honour (Jazil last year)
So ended one of the most memorable
Triple Crowns of all time, concluding
with one of the greatest Belmonts ever
run. Rags to Riches had won it for the la-
dies, beating a rough and tough male at
his own game.
Pletcher was back at his barn the next
morning well before 5 o’clock, taking care
of business in his office as a bright and
alert Rags to Riches was brought out to
graze by her hotwalker, Isabel Escobar.
What a difference 24 hours make. The
morning before, Pletcher was saying,
“I don’t know how I’m going to make it
through the day.”
As Benzel said, “He’s the ultimate war-
rior.”
MIKE CORRADO
But on this day, the ultimate warrior was
a courageous chestnut filly who inscribed
herself, her trainer, and her jockey into the
history books. b
 HARD ROAD
Hard Spun defeats Street
◀T
 IAGO TESTED IN GOODWOOD
■ JACKSON LAWSUIT SETTLED/5385
■ JOE TALAMO AND MICHAEL BAZE/5422
Sense in Kentucky Cup ■ SEPTEMBER SALE WRAP/5428

B l o o d H o r s e N O W . c o m

®
International Thoroughbred Breeding and Racing October 6, 2007/No.40

Fight
Club

Curlin tops lawyer ron in the gold cup; 3-year-olds slug

it out with their elders ARound the country
 B elmont P ark

Stress Test
Curlin fights it out in another thrilling stretch battle,
wins the Jockey Club Gold Cup over older rival Lawyer Ron
By Steve Haskin

S
atish Sanan, part owner of Curlin,
picked a heck of a time to enter a
“heart camp,” as his son Sasha calls
it. Heart-related problems run in Sanan’s
family, so, instead of being at Belmont
Park to watch his colt run in the $765,000
Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes (gr. I), he
was at the Pritikins Longevity Center and
Spa in Aventura, Fla., being put through
an exercise program and special diet to
help change his lifestyle.
Instead of taking a stress test, all Sanan
had to do Sept. 30 was watch Curlin hook
up in yet another heart-pounding stretch
duel. This time it wasn’t with Street Sense
in the Preakness Stakes (gr. I) or Rags to
Rags in the Belmont Stakes (gr. I). It was
with the leading older horse in the coun-
try, Lawyer Ron, who was coming off
spectacular victories in the grade I Whit-
ney Handicap and Woodward Stakes at

skip dickstein photos

Curlin, left, needs nearly every inch of the stretch to wear down Lawyer Ron to win the Jockey Club Gold Cup

5444 THE BLOOD-HORSE ■ OCTOBER 6, 2007 B l o o d H o r s e N O W.c o m


Saratoga. Oaklawn Park officials had to
love every minute of it, as the last two run-
away winners of the Arkansas Derby (gr.
II) battled the length of the stretch.
Sanan’s heart and stress levels were put
to quite a test during that pulsating final
quarter-mile of the Gold Cup when Curlin,
under jockey Robby Albarado, tried des-
perately to get past his stubborn opponent.
It wasn’t until the final strides that Curlin
was able to wear down Lawyer Ron to win
by a neck.
The son of Smart Strike, out of the Dep-
uty Minister mare Sherriff’s Deputy, had
barely finished pulling up when Sanan
was on the phone with his son.
“I think he probably put his foot through
the TV, he was so excited,” Sasha said.
This extraordinary crop of sophomores
is not for the faint-hearted, as evidenced by
the stirring stretch duels in the Tampa Bay
Derby (gr. III), Toyota Blue Grass Stakes
(gr. I), Preakness, Belmont, Travers Stakes
(gr. I), Kentucky Cup Classic Stakes (gr. II),
Goodwood Handicap (gr. I), and Jockey
Club Gold Cup. If it’s not Curlin involved,
it’s Street Sense or Hard Spun or Tiago or
Any Given Saturday, all of whom ran in
the Kentucky Derby - Presented by Yum!
Brands (gr. I).
It would be an understatement to say
Curlin has had a whirlwind career, as brief
as it’s been. No one can recall a horse ac-
complishing so much in such a short pe-
riod of time. It’s hard to believe that eight
months ago Curlin hadn’t even made his
career debut.
John Nerud, legendary trainer, owner,
and breeder, said of Curlin, “I’ve never
seen a horse do what he’s done in such a
short period of time without blowing up.”
Hall of Fame trainer Allen Jerkens said be-
fore the Belmont, “I have never in my life
seen a horse that’s done what he’s done:
start running and just keep on running.
If he keeps it up, he’s not one in a million;
he’s one in a jillion.”
Well, Curlin has kept it up, and now you
can add a victory over older horses to his
already remarkable resumé.
The 10-furlong Gold Cup drew a field
of seven. Among those opposing Curlin
and Lawyer Ron were the Jerkens-trained
Political Force, winner of the Suburban
Handicap (gr. I), and the Nick Zito-trained
Sun King.
Curlin had returned from a two-month
layoff following his gut-wrencher in the
Belmont against Rags to Riches and fin-
ished an uninspiring third in the Aug. 5
Haskell Invitational Handicap (gr. I) be-
hind Any Given Saturday and Hard Spun.
Trainer Steve Asmussen gave him another
two months off and pointed him for the
Gold Cup.
Earlier in the day, Asmussen met in the
tunnel with Albarado outside the jockeys’
B l o o d H o r s e N O W.c o m
Jockey Club Gold Cup (Curlin)
It was four lengths
b ac k to Pol it ic a l Race Replays at
Force, who was six BloodHorseNOW.com
King. Curlin, bred

lengths head of Sun c North american
graded stakes
in Kentucky by Fares Farm, covered the
distance in 2:01.20, rattling off quarters in
approximately :244⁄5, :233⁄5, :234⁄5, :241⁄5,
and :244⁄5.
“We were in a great position all the
way, right behind Lawyer Ron,” Albarado
said. “I could see Johnny (Velazquez)
was having some trouble trying to con-
tain him. When Johnny made his move,
I just followed him. Curlin loves to be on
the outside and run horses down. His race
in the Haskell was a bit dull, but he had
run hard in all three Triple Crown races,
and the last two were exceptionally hard
races. Steve said he was training much
more forwardly for this race than he did
Steve Asmussen will train Curlin over
for the Haskell.”
Keeneland’s Polytrack for the Breeders’ Cup
After the race, a beaming Asmussen
room and told him this was a much better said to Sasha Sanan, “Pretty good horse,
horse than he was in the Haskell and to huh? I can’t believe I got touched with a
ride him with confidence and be patient horse like this.”
with him. He had been training with more “It’s a great story,” said George Bolton,
energy, highlighted by a pair of sharp six- who co-owns Curlin with Sanan’s Padua
furlong works over the Oklahoma training Stables, Jess Jackson’s Stonestreet Stables,
track at Saratoga. and the Midnight Cry Stable of William
Brother Bobby, runner-up to Lawyer Gallion and Shirley Cunningham Jr. “Here
Ron in the Oaklawn Handicap (gr. II) and is a $57,000 yearling with an OCD (lesion)
second in the Philip H. Iselin Breeders’ who runs a freakish sprint race in his
Cup Handicap (gr. III), set a comfortable debut. We buy him for a bunch of money,
pace of :24.26 and :47.88, with Lawyer he wins the Arkansas Derby and Preak-
Ron, a bit keen to go on, sitting right off ness, and now he beats Lawyer Ron in the
his flank. Albarado had Curlin relaxed in Jockey Club Gold Cup.”
fourth, three lengths off the lead. Lawyer Ron lost nothing in defeat and
Lawyer Ron challenged for the lead battled hard all the way, despite being
nearing the quarter pole, as Curlin moved rank early. “I thought he ran great,” train-
up directly behind him. Lawyer Ron er Todd Pletcher said. “The only thing
kicked for home under John Velazquez, we were concerned about happened: He
with Curlin, several paths wide, closing never quite settled like he did in Saratoga.
in. It looked for a while as if the older horse He was very sharp, and he never gave up.
would be able to hold off the challenge of I think there’s still room for improvement.
his younger foe. But Albarado then steered Hopefully, 27 days from now, he’ll run just
Curlin in toward Lawyer Ron, so he could a little bit better than he ran today.”
look his opponent in the eye, and that’s Asmussen said Curlin will fly to Ken-
when Curlin finally gave that final thrust tucky and train for the Breeders’ Cup Clas-
that propelled him to a neck victory. sic - Powered by Dodge (gr. I) over Keene­
Breeders’ Cup ‘Win and You’re In’
RACE WINNER DIVISION
Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes Curlin Classic
Beldame Stakes Unbridled Belle Distaff
Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Stakes English Channel Turf
Vosburgh Stakes Fabulous Strike Sprint
Goodwood Stakes Tiago Classic
THE BLOOD-HORSE ■ OCTOBER 6, 2007 5445
 B elmont P ark
Lahudood and jockey Alan Garcia win the Flower Bowl
land’s Polytrack surface.
“I think he is an outstanding horse, and
he proved so once again today,” Asmus-
sen said. “We’ll all meet again in a month’s
time, probably to decide a lot of honors.”
Howdy ‘Dood
Funny how a name sounds a lot better
with a grade I win next to it. If anyone had
trouble pronouncing the name Lahudood
before the Sept. 29 Flower Bowl Invitation-
al Stakes (gr. IT), they either know it now
or will make sure they know it before the
Breeders’ Cup World Championships.
When Shadwell Stable sent Kiaran
McLaughlin two classy 4-year-old fillies
from Europe this spring, Lahudood and
Makderah, it looked as if Makderah was
Trippi’s Storm defeats heavy favorite After Market in the one-mile Kelso
5446 THE BLOOD-HORSE ■ OCTOBER 6, 2007
Flower Bowl Invitational (Lahudood)
adam coglianese photos
the better of the two following her impres-
sive victory in the New York Stakes (gr.
IIT) at Belmont Park. But Shadwell owner
Sheikh Hamdan, who bred both fillies,
knew better.
“Sheikh Hamdan kept telling me that
on her European form, Lahudood was the
better one,” McLaughlin said. “This was
the first time everything went perfect. She
wants to be covered up and make a run
on firm ground. (Shadwell manager) Rick
Nichols told me that the boss didn’t send
her over here to be an allowance horse.”
So, when Lahudood came charging
through along the rail to defeat a star-
studded field in the 11⁄4-mile Flower Bowl
in 1:59.05 at odds of 21-1, it wasn’t totally
unexpected.
Kelso (Trippi’s Storm)
The homebred daughter of Singspiel,
out of the Arazi mare Rahayeb, was ridden
to perfection by Alan Garcia, who saved
ground in third and then burst through an
opening along the inside to outrun Rosin-
ka, who was coming off four straight wins,
and the 4-5 favorite Wait a While. Also in
the beaten field were grade I winners Royal
Highness, Alexander Tango, and My Ty-
phoon. The $600,000 race marked Garcia’s
first career grade I victory.
“I was down inside, and was watching
the favorite the whole time,” Garcia said.
“I knew Garrett (Gomez on Wait a While)
had some horse. Around the turn, I just
tried to be patient. In the stretch, there
was some room to go inside, so I sent her
through, and she really responded.”
After Market tripped up
The record will show that E. Paul Rob-
sham Stables’ homebred Trippi’s Storm
won the Kelso Handicap (gr. IIT) Sept. 29,
but it was the 6-5 favorite, After Market,
who received most of the accolades after
his impressive second-place finish, in
which he had to circle the field five-wide
at the head of the stretch, and then closed
relentlessly to get beaten a half-length in a
sharp 1:32.36 for the mile.
After Market’s powerful performance
in the $249,200 race did not in any way
diminish the effort of Trippi’s Storm, who
has been a gem of consistency but has
come up short in major stakes against
top-class horses. The son of Trippi, out of
Pocket Beauty, by Storm Bird, had run at
five different distances, ranging from 11⁄16
miles to 11⁄2 miles, since being put on the
turf by trainer Stanley Hough. This was
his first crack at a mile and he delivered,
charging to the front under Javier Castel-
lano and then holding off After Market’s
late charge.
Trippi’s Storm saved ground around the
turn and then swung wide, while After
Market was caught wide the whole way.
After Market cost himself any chance
when he drifted out at a crucial point in the
stretch and then was unable to run down
a game Trippi’s Storm. The California in-
vader, winner of four graded stakes in a
row, finished 11⁄2 lengths ahead of Palace
Episode. Finishing out of the money were
classy grass stars English Colony, Strike a
Deal, and Icy Atlantic.
“We never really knew this horse’s best
distance,” Hough said of Trippi’s Storm.
“A mile fits him pretty well. We would
have to consider the (NetJets) Breeders’
Cup Mile (gr. IT). Obviously, it will be very
tough. We’ll see how he comes out of it. He
ran back a little quick this time, and that
would be a little quick again. But it worked
this time. I thought the pace was good, and
he seemed to settle in nice. Javier rode him
great.” B
B l o o d H o r s e N O W.c o m
 BREEDERS’ CUP GEORGE WASHINGTON: Champ breaks down in Classic; euthanized
■ FIRST TIME AS TWO-DAY EVENT ■ WAR PASS IMPRESSES IN JUVENILE
XXIV RESULTS ■ BAFFERT WINS A PAIR ■ WET WEATHER CAUSES HANDLE TO SLIP

bloodhorseNOW.com

®
International Thoroughbred Breeding and Racing November 3, 2007/No.44

Reign
Supreme
Curlin wins BREEDERS’ CUP
CLASSIC IN THE SLOP
AT Monmouth Park
 CURLIN
CLASSIC CURLIN

Curl Jam
Curlin crushes the competition
in the Monmouth Park slop

by s t e v e h a s k i n

mike corrado
 CLASSIC

P
rior to this year’s Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. been saturated by
four days of rain. Race Replays at
I), Larry Jones, trainer of eventual runner-up Hard Spun, said of As Curlin’s trainer BloodHorseNOW.com
the meteoric rise of the then undefeated Curlin, “Six months from Steve Asmussen, jock- c BREEDERS’ CUP
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
now, we could be looking at Curlin as a super horse.” ey Robby Albarado,
co-owners Jess Jackson, Satish Sanan, and
Well, it is now six months later, and Jones’ words, unfortunately for George Bolton, and their friends and fami-
him, have become prophetic. By crushing Hard Spun with an awesome lies were hailing racing’s newest super-
display of power in the Oct. 27 Breeders’ Cup Classic – Powered by star, George Washington’s trainer, Aidan
O’Brien, and his family were departing
Dodge (gr. I) at Monmouth Park, Curlin has now entered the realm of through the tunnel. O’Brien, refusing or
superstardom. unable to speak to anyone, put his arm
What the son of Smart Strike, out of the Deputy Minister mare Sher- around his wife, Anne-Marie, who was
in tears. It was a sad ending to what had
riff’s Deputy, has accomplished since his career debut Feb. 3 is unprec- been an exciting and formful day of rac-
edented. ing, despite the track conditions and the
precipitation that finally ended at about
As Hall of Fame trainer Allen Jerkens said, “He’s not one in a million 3:30, giving way to glorious sunshine.
to have done what he’s done; he’s one in a jillion.” George Washington’s injury was diag-
nosed by Dr. C. Wayne McIlwraith as an
open fracture of the cannon bone in the
right front fetlock joint, as well as fractured
But Curlin’s victory could not be fully following the Classic, there was no joy in sesamoids, an injury he called “hopeless
appreciated by the crowd of 41,781, who Mudville. A short distance away from the as far as repair.”
were more focused on the tragic scene that winner’s circle festivities, Ireland’s George In addition to the loss of a brilliant and
was playing out in front of them. Other Washington was being euthanized after talented horse, the incident dampened
than the victory celebration for Curlin breaking down on a sloppy track that had what should have been the joyous corona-

eliot j. schechter

Hard Spun (center) still has the lead in the slop of the Breeders’ Cup Classic, but Curlin (left) is making a winning move on the turn

6140 T H E B L O O D - H O R S E ■ N o v e m ber 3 , 2 0 0 7 B l o o d H o r s e N O W.c o m

 CURLIN
anne m. eberhardt photos

Part of Curlin’s ownership group: clockwise

from top left, Jess Jackson with Shirley
Cunningham’s wife, Patricia; Ann and Satish
Sanan; thumbs up from George Bolton

tion of a champion, unlike any seen in a

long while.
Not even longtime veterans of the
sport could recall a horse accomplishing
so much in such a short period of time.
Unraced at 2, Curlin did not make his ca-
reer debut until Feb. 3. In less than nine
months he has won the grade I Breed-
ers’ Cup Classic, Preakness Stakes, and
Jockey Club Gold Cup, grade II Arkan-
sas Derby, and grade III Rebel Stakes. He
also was second in the Belmont Stakes
(gr. I) and third in the Kentucky Derby
Presented by Yum! Brands and Haskell
Invitational (gr. I).
“To accomplish what he’s accomplished
in the length of time that he has, to get to
this level, he’s different in many ways; he’s
an amazing animal,” Asmussen said. longs, many great horses have competed “What I like about him is that he’s just
In the Classic, Curlin powered his way to at that distance over the years. Even more learning to run right now,” assistant trainer
a 41⁄2-length victory over the indefatigable impressive than the final time was Cur- Scott Blasi said back at the barn as Curlin
Hard Spun in track-record-equaling time lin running each of his final two quarters was being bathed under the cover of dark-
of 2:00.59. The previous record of 2:002⁄5 in :241⁄5 over a track on which horses had ness. “He’s really leveling off and finishing
was set by Carry Back in 1962. Although been closing slowly all afternoon in two- off his races. Even though he’s just now
Monmouth no longer cards races at 10 fur- turn races. figuring it out, he’s already doing things

B l o o d H o r s e N O W.c o m T H E B L O O D - H O R S E ■ no v e m ber 3 , 2 0 0 7 6141

 CLASSIC
we haven’t seen a horse do in 30 years.”
The Classic was unique in that it at-
tracted five grade I winners from this
year’s Derby—Curlin, Derby winner Street
Sense, Hard Spun, Any Given Saturday,
and Tiago. This remarkable quintet would
be battling each other with the 3-year-old
championship on the line, and only the 4-
year-old Lawyer Ron standing in their way
for Horse of the Year honors.
Street Sense and Hard Spun were the
fan favorites, thanks in part to their con-
vivial trainers Carl Nafzger and Jones, re-
spectively. Curlin, through no fault of his
own, has not been as warmly received due
to the legal entanglements of several of his
owners. As he did in the Preakness, Cur-
lin wore the silks of Midnight Cry Stables,
whose owners, Shirley Cunningham and
William Gallion, are currently in prison
awaiting trial while accused of bilking $64
million from their clients in the Fen-Phen
diet drug settlement.
Most everyone is well aware by now
that a majority interest in Curlin was pur-
Trainer Steve Asmussen says Curlin is “an amazing animal”
6142 T H E B L O O D - H O R S E ■ N o v e m ber 3 , 2 0 0 7
chased by Jackson’s Stonestreet Stables,
Sanan’s Padua Stables, and Bolton through
bloodstock agent John Moynihan follow-
ing the colt’s spectacular career debut for a
price believed to be between $3.5 and $3.7
million, with Midnight Cry maintaining a
minority interest.
But the story of Curlin began well before
that. Purchased by trainer Kenny McPeek
for $57,000 at the 2005 Keeneland Sep-
tember yearling sale, the colt was sent to
Helen Pitts to train after McPeek temporar-
ily retired from training to concentrate on
bloodstock work.
“He’s just learning to run
right now. He’s already doing
things we haven’t seen
a horse do in 30 years.”
s c ot t b l a s i
anne m. eberhardt
Pitts and assistant Hanne Jorgensen
worked long and hard on the colt through
two cases of bucked shins and other minor
ailments. On July 29, 2006, the South-
ern Legislative Conference convened at
Churchill Downs, where the legislators
were treated to a night at the races, which
included three exhibition races. When
Churchill Downs’ senior vice president
of racing, Donnie Richardson, asked
Pitts to help out and put a couple of her
2-year-olds in the races, she chose Cur-
lin, who wound up finishing third behind
the Bernie Flint-trained Speedway, who
had already broken his maiden by three
lengths, but was still green and needed
more experience.
“Curlin had worked a couple of half-
miles, but he was just a big ol’ 2-year-old
who had never been asked to do anything
at that point,” said exercise rider Mick Jen-
ner, who rode Curlin that night. “Every-
thing he’d done was on the bit. The race
was only a quarter of a mile and he was
bucking and rearing, and I was hanging
on for dear life. So I not only got Curlin
beat, I got him well beat.”
Flint, who had no idea he had defeated
Curlin in that race, still marvels at what
the colt has accomplished since then.
“He went from zip to winning the Breed-
ers’ Cup Classic and Horse of the Year,”
Flint said. “It’s unbelievable. That’s all I
can say—unbelievable.”
Pitts and Jorgensen (who is married to
Jenner) continued to nurse Curlin through
his ailments and finally got him ready for
his debut at Gulfstream Park. Jorgensen,
who also was Curlin’s regular exercise
rider, knew that he was something special
and unlike any horse she’d ever been on,
and wasn’t surprised when he demolished
his field by nearly 13 lengths.
Asmussen had shipped into Gulfstream
from Fair Grounds to run Gunfight in the
Swale Stakes (gr. II) and was stabled in
Pitts’ barn, so he was able to get a good
close-up look at this magnificent chest-
nut. It was Jorgensen who had helped him
by getting on Gunfight in the mornings.
When Asmussen left, Curlin went with
him. Jorgensen was devastated, and still
is, watching her “baby” clinch Horse of
the Year honors for someone else, while
increasing his bankroll to more than $5.1
million.
“He was always a physically strong
horse, but I admired how mentally strong
he was,” Jorgensen said. “It’s bittersweet.
You take care of them and cultivate them
for almost a year and then someone with
more money comes in and snatches them
right out from under you.”
Curlin quickly developed into a power-
house for Asmussen and just kept getting
better and better. He went into the Ken-
tucky Derby with only three starts, but
still managed to finish a solid third, de-
B l o o d H o r s e N O W.c o m

eliot j. schechter
Jockey Robby Albarado, who won his first Breeders’ Cup race, says Curlin “found something extra to push off and draw away from them”
spite encountering traffic problems. Then
came his dramatic Preakness victory over
Street Sense and his courageous head de-
feat in the Belmont Stakes at the hands of
super filly Rags to Riches, who went into
the race a much fresher horse. With Curlin
having so little experience and foundation,
everyone kept waiting for him to run into
the proverbial brick wall after his grueling
spring campaign, but he never did.
Finally, after the Belmont, he was given
two months off, but returned with a dull
third behind Any Given Saturday and
Hard Spun in the Haskell. Did he simply
crash after being on such an adrenaline
high and then let down abruptly? Or with
his humongous stride, did he simply not
like the tight turns at Monmouth Park?
Whatever the reason, Asmussen passed
the Travers Stakes (gr. I), which was won
by Street Sense, to point for the Classic.
Street Sense’s Travers victory placed him
firmly atop the contenders list for champi-
B l o o d H o r s e N O W.c o m
onship honors. Curlin would need a huge
comeback to take it away from him.
Curlin returned after another two-month
layoff to gamely defeat Lawyer Ron in the
Jockey Club Gold Cup, putting him in po-
sition to challenge Street Sense, who had
been beaten by Hard Spun in the Kentucky
Cup Classic (gr. II). But he would also have
to contend with Any Given Saturday, who
was riding a three-race winning streak,
and had a decisive victory over him on the
Monmouth Park surface.
The stage was set for one of the most
highly anticipated Classics ever, with
Street Sense and Curlin the main contend-
ers for the Eclipse Award. But Hard Spun
and Any Given Saturday were only one
victory away from displacing them. Curlin
was 1-1 against Street Sense, 2-2 against
Hard Spun, and 1-1 against Any Given Sat-
urday. But he did have a victory over the
nation’s leading older horse, Lawyer Ron,
to his credit.
T H E B L O O D - H O R S E ■ no v e m ber 3 , 2 0 0 7
CURLIN
Street Sense was the first Classic horse
to arrive at Monmouth, shipping in by van
from Louisville Oct. 19, eight days before
the Classic, with a scheduled work set for
the following Tuesday.
“He’s impatient,” said Nafzger in ex-
plaining why he vanned the colt so early.
“He wants off, and he wants off now. I
wanted to see how he handled this track
and if there’s anything I needed to adjust.
We got everything in this race. We got
speed, we got tactical speed, and we got
closers. And every horse in the race has
one common denominator—class. So, that
makes it really tough.”
Curlin didn’t arrive until the Tuesday be-
fore the race, just after Street Sense turned
in a sharp five-furlong work in 1:011⁄5, gal-
loping out seven furlongs in a sensational
1:253⁄5 and pulling up a mile in 1:383⁄5.
Curlin arrived with his two personal
bodyguards who work for Jess Jackson
and have been monitoring his every move
6143
 CLASSIC
since Saratoga.
“Our job is to make sure no one gets
close to him,” said Amy Kearns, who has
a master’s degree in criminal justice and
spent a year on the streets of Indianapolis
interviewing gang members and felons.
She shares her duties at the barn with a
retired police officer from Cincinnati.
“We write down everything that hap-
pens,” added Kearns, who refers to herself
as Curlin’s chaperone. “Anytime someone
gives him something or goes in his stall,
whether it’s the vet or Scott, we record it
in his diary. We record everything—when
he lays down, when he gets up, when he
eats hay, everything, 24 hours a day. We
have volumes, starting up in Saratoga. He
doesn’t like small animals; he gets agitated
by them, so we have to watch for that as
well. He’s such a smart horse. He’s unbe-
lievable to be around.”
That eventful Tuesday was the last time
anyone at Monmouth would see the sun
until Saturday afternoon, as a massive
front moved up from the south bringing
steady rains, heavy at times, and brisk
winds. The weather bureau called for
flood warnings on race day, as giant waves
pounded the Jersey Shore for several days.
Despite the horrible conditions, the
Breeders’ Cup, which was a two-day event
for the first time this year, with three ad-
George Washington was euthanized after suffering a fracture of the cannon bone in the right front fetlock joint as well as fractured sesamoids
6144 T H E B L O O D - H O R S E ■ N o v e m ber 3 , 2 0 0 7
breeders’ cup facts
Curlin is the eighth 3-year-old to win
the Classic; the last was Tiznow in 2000
Curlin’s win marks first Breeders’ Cup
victories for trainer Steve Asmussen
and jockey Robby Albarado
European-based horses shut out
of winner’s circle for first time since ’98
Trainer Bob Baffert and jockey Garrett
Gomez scored two wins with
Indian Blessing (Juvenile Fillies)
and Midnight Lute (Sprint)
ditional races carded for Friday, went
smoothly and according to form. In fact, it
was the most formful Breeders’ Cup ever.
All eight of Saturday’s winners, and 10
of the 11 overall winners, had previously
won a grade I race in the United States,
with the exception of Juvenile Turf win-
ner Nownownow, and that was because
there are no grade I races for juveniles on
the turf in the U.S. On only three previous
occasions have there been as many as six
Breeders’ Cup winners who already had
won a grade I race in the U.S.
A field of nine went to the post for the
Classic, seven of whom were grade/group
CURLIN
I winners, with the remaining two—Awe-
some Gem and Diamond Stripes—grade
II winners and grade I-placed. European
champion George Washington added a
good deal of intrigue to the race, returning
for a second try after a troubled sixth-place
finish last year. The 2006 English Two
Thousand Guineas (Eng-I) and Queen
Elizabeth II Stakes (Eng-I) winner had
been retired to stud at the end of last year,
but was put back in training after impreg-
nating only five mares.
The Classic also would likely mark the
farewell performance for Street Sense, Hard
Spun, and Any Given Saturday, all of whom
had been purchased by Darley earlier in the
year. Of the three, only Any Given Satur-
day’s status has not been announced.
For Street Sense’s rider, Calvin Borel,
this has been the end of a magical journey,
which brought him an invitation to the
White House and a meeting with Queen
Elizabeth.
“This year has been a dream come true,
and it’s gonna be sad to see him go,” Borel
said. “But all things must come to an end.
He’s been every jock’s dream, and I don’t
think he can be beat on Saturday.”
At 7:15 on the morning of the race, Todd
Pletcher, trainer of Lawyer Ron and Any
Given Saturday, stood outside his barn
hosing off his shoes, having just come
skip dickstein
B l o o d H o r s e N O W.c o m
 CLASSIC CURLIN

eliot j. schechter
Curlin accelerates as they straighten away for home; from inspecting the track. What he saw
below, race favorite Street Sense with trainer Carl Nafzger
was not encouraging.
“It’s not good,” Pletcher said. “Not good.
It pulls your shoes off, and the scariest part
is it’s very inconsistent. That’s what wor-
ries me. But they haven’t brought the trac-
tors out yet, so, we’ll see.”
A few barns away, Jones was contemplat-
ing how a victory by Hard Spun would be
perceived. “If we do win, then everybody’s
gonna want to blow it off as him just doing
well because of the slop,” he said. “It’s a no-
win situation, but we’re gonna enjoy it any-
way. Our job is to get it done, and if it does
play in our favor, then good.”
The fans made Street Sense the 5-2 fa-
vorite, followed by Any Given Saturday
and Lawyer Ron at 7-2, and Curlin a sur-
prising 4-1.
In the paddock, Bob Baffert, who was
still beaming over his two Breeders’ Cup
winners, Indian Blessing and Midnight
Lute, called his wife, Jill, after looking
over the field and gave her his assessment
barbara d. livingston

of the horses in one word: “Curlin.”

At the start, Hard Spun, as expected,
went to the front from post 8, but had to
work a bit to get there, outrunning Law-

6146 T H E B L O O D - H O R S E ■ N o v e m ber 3 , 2 0 0 7 B l o o d H o r s e N O W.c o m

 CLASSIC
would ultimately be pulled up by jockey
Mick Kinane just before the wire.
“He did well to stay up,” Kinane said.
“He was brave. He didn’t go down, and by
staying up he saved me.”
Tiago, who was coming up to the race
in great shape, was back in last and ap-
parently not handling the footing at all.
He managed to make slight progress late
to finish fifth, 10 lengths ahead of Any
Given Saturday and Lawyer Ron, neither
of whom ever got hold of the track.
Around the turn, Curlin had a half-
length advantage on Street Sense as the
two began their moves together. As fast as
Street Sense was coming along the inside,
Curlin was always going better, reaching
out with those massive strides of his. It
CURLIN
was apparent as they closed in on Hard
Spun at the quarter pole that Curlin was by
far the stronger of the two and was moving
so well he already had the race in the bag.
Turning for home, Curlin charged past
Hard Spun, as Street Sense’s move stalled
abruptly. Curlin began drawing off under
mild encouragement from Albarado. The
race for first and second was over, and
it was just a question of whether Street
Sense could hang on for third. Awesome
Gem, who had been back in eighth, came
flying late and snatched the show spot in
the final few jumps.
“After I looped Hard Spun, Curlin found
something extra that we needed to push
off and draw away from them,” Albarado
said. “Coming back, he wasn’t stressed at

results
1õ MILES. (2.00§) 24TH RUNNING OF THE BREEDERS' CUP CLASSIC- POWERED BY DODGE.
Grade I. Purse $5,000,000 FOR THREE YEAR OLDS AND UPWARD. Northern Hemisphere
Three-Year-Olds, 121 lbs.; Older, 126 lbs.; Southern Hemisphere Three Year Olds, 116 lbs.; Older, 126
ELEVENTH RACE lbs. All Fillies and Mares allowed 3 lbs. $50,000 to pre-enter, $75,000 to enter, with guaranteed $5million
purse including nominator awards (plus Net Supplementary Fees, if any), of which 54% of all monies to
Monmouth the owner of the winner, 20% to second, 10% to third, 5.1% to fourth and 2.5% to fifth; plus stallion
nominator awards of 2.7% of all monies to the winner, 1% to second and 0.5% to third and foal nominator
OCTOBER 27, 2007 awards of 2.7% of all monies to the winner, 1% to second and 0.5% to third. Additional nominator awards
to be paid from Breeders' Cup funds, not included in purse distribution. Stallion nominator awards of
barbara d. livingston

0.255% of all monies to fourth and 0.125% to fifth and foal nominator awards of 0.255% of all monies to
fourth and 0.125% to fifth. Closed with 9 pre-entries.
Value of Race: $4,580,000 Winner $2,700,000; second $1,000,000; third $500,000; fourth $255,000; fifth $125,000. Mutuel Pool $9,276,636.00
Exacta Pool $5,207,211.00 Trifecta Pool $4,616,057.00 Superfecta Pool $2,559,492.00
Last Raced Horse M/Eqt. A. Wt PP ² ¶ º 1 Str Fin Jockey Odds $1
30æ07 ¦¥Bel¦ Curlin L 3 121 4 6Ç 6¦ 5ô 2§ 1¦ 1©ô Albarado R J 4.40
29æ07 ¦¥TP¦ Hard Spun L 3 121 8 1¦ 1¦ô 1§ô 1§ 2§ô 2©ö Pino M G 8.10
Trainer Larry Jones with Hard Spun 29æ07 ®OSA§ Awesome Gem L b 4 126 6 8© 8§ 8§ 6§ô 4© 3¦ Flores D R 28.30
29æ07 ¦¥TP§ Street Sense L f 3 121 2 7§ô 7¬ 6¦ 3§ 3ª 4¤õ Borel C H 2.50
29æ07 ®OSA¦ Tiago L f 3 121 9 9 9 9 7© 5ª 5¦¥ Smith M E 12.80
yer Ron, who had broken from the rail. 22æ07 ¦¥Bel¦ Any Given Saturday L 3 121 3 4ô 4§ 3¦ô 5© 6¦ô 6Ç Gomez G K 3.90
Meadowlands Cup (gr. II) winner Dia- 30æ07 ¦¥Bel§ Lawyer Ron L 4 126 1 2ô 2¦ 2¦ô 4ô 7ª 7¤õ Velazquez J R 3.90
mond Stripes was right up there, with 5å07 ®Med¦ Diamond Stripes L b 4 126 7 3¦ 3¦ 4¦ô 9 9 8 Velasquez C 38.80
Any Given Saturday in good position in 9æ07 ¦¥LCH¨ GorgWshington-Ire L 4 126 5 5© 5©ô 7©ô 8§ô 8ô > Kinane M J 9.00
fourth. George Washington tracked him OFF AT 5:44 Start Good. Won driving. Track sloppy (Sealed).
in fifth, with Curlin directly outside of TIME :23, :45©, 1:10¨, 1:35©, 2:00§ (:23.11, :45.85, 1:10.67, 1:35.86, 2:00.59)
4 - CURLIN 10.80 5.20 4.20
Street Sense, who found his usual posi- $2 Mutuel Prices: 8 - HARD SPUN 7.60 5.80
tion on the rail. 6 - AWESOME GEM 9.40
$2 EXACTA 4-8 PAID $70.80 $1 TRIFECTA 4-8-6 PAID $645.30
$1 SUPERFECTA 4-8-6-2 PAID $2,146.20
Ch. c, (Mar), by Smart Strike - Sherriff's Deputy , by Deputy Minister . Trainer Asmussen Steven M. Bred by Fares Farm
Curlin and Hard Spun are Inc (Ky).
CURLIN was unhurried for five furlongs while racing just outside STREET SENSE along the backstretch, got the jump on
rare individuals—throwbacks that one while splitting horses to make his move on the turn, rapidly closed the gap angling three wide at the quarter pole, drew
along side HARD SPUN to challenge in upper stretch, surged to the front opening a clear advantage a furlong out then drew
away with authority under steady right hand urging to win going away. HARD SPUN sprinted clear on the first turn, set a rapid
to a time when horses pace while saving ground along the backstretch, raced uncontested on the lead to the top of the stretch, yielded to the winner
nearing the furlong marker then continued on well to clearly best the others. AWESOME GEM raced far back for seven furlongs,
were tough and durable advanced a bit from outside midway on the turn, swung three wide at the quarter pole then closed late from outside to gain a
share. STREET SENSE tucked in along the rail in the early stages, raced in hand while saving ground along the backstretch,
and thrived on racing made his move with the winner midway on the turn, was unable to stay with that one approaching the quarter pole then
flattened out through the final eighth . TIAGO was outrun while trailing to the far turn, lodged a mild move while saving ground
on the turn then lacked a strong closing response. ANY GIVEN SATURDAY chased along the inside in the early stages, moved
out slightly along the backstretch, tracked the leaders to the far turn, dropped back midway on the turn and steadily tired
thereafter. LAWYER RON steadied slightly along the rail while a bit rank leaving the first turn, angled outside HARD SPUN
Down the backstretch after a quarter approaching the backstretch, pressed the pace from outside for five furlongs, lagged behind on the far turn, gave way nearing
in :23.11 and a half in a quick :45.85, Hard
copyright 2007, daily racing form inc. and equibase co. llc

the stretch and steadily tired thereafter. DIAMOND STRIPES bobbled a bit at the start, stalked the leaders while three wide for
Spun began to open up on the field, with a half mile, dropped well back on the far turn and was never close thereafter. GEORGE WASHINGTON (IRE) moved into
contention while four wide on the first turn, raced in midpack for a half, was finished leaving the three-eighths pole then broke
Curlin and Street Sense still side by side, down inside the furlong marker.
some 10 lengths off the pace. It had not Owners- 1, Stonestreet Stables Padua Stables Bolton George and Midnight Cry Stables; 2, Fox Hill Farms Inc; 3, West Point Patrice
been a good day for closers in two-turn Arudel & Paul Blavin; 4, James B Tafel; 5, Moss Mr and Mrs Jerome S; 6, Winstar Farm LLC and Padua Stables; 7, Est Of James T Hines Jr
& Stonewall Stallions Racing Division; 8, Four Roses Thoroughbreds; 9, Mrs John Magnier Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith
races, and both classic winners had a lot Trainers- 1, Asmussen Steven M; 2, Jones J Larry; 3, Dollase Craig; 4, Nafzger Carl A; 5, Shirreffs John; 6, Pletcher Todd A; 7,
of ground to make up on Hard Spun, who Pletcher Todd A; 8, Dutrow Richard E Jr; 9, O'Brien Aidan P
was winging it out there on an uncontest-
$2 Daily Double (6-4) Paid $55.60 ; Daily Double Pool $1,522,005 .
ed lead. $1 Pick Three (4-6-4) Paid $166.40 ; Pick Three Pool $1,353,423 .
Approaching the far turn, Hard Spun $1 Pick Four (8-4-6-4) Paid $1,506.50 ; Pick Four Pool $3,166,213 .
led by three lengths, with Lawyer Ron $2 Pick Six (6-2/3-8-4-6-4) 6 Correct Paid $321,813.20 ; Pick Six Pool $3,287,581 .
and Any Given Saturday going nowhere. $2 Pick Six (6-2/3-8-4-6-4) 5 Correct Paid $1,536.40 .
Monmouth Park Attendance: 41,781 Mutuel Pool: $12,726,622.00 Total Mutuel Pool: $99,177,063.00
George Washington was retreating, and

6148 T H E B L O O D - H O R S E ■ N o v e m ber 3 , 2 0 0 7 B l o o d H o r s e N O W.c o m

 CLASSIC
all and was as calm as can be, just like the
normal Curlin every day.”
Borel offered no excuses for Street
Sense. “He just got outrun,” he said. “It’s
heartbreaking to go out like this, but he’s
one of a kind. He’s the best horse in the
world to me, and I’ve had a dream come
true with him. He gave me everything he
had, but he just couldn’t go with Curlin.
That was it.”
Jones was happy with Hard Spun’s per-
formance, and with the remarkable tough-
ness and durability the colt has shown
all year, winning four graded stakes and
finishing second in the Kentucky Derby,
Breeders’ Cup Classic, and Haskell, and
third in the Preakness.
“It’s sort of like kissing your mother, but
we’re happy,” he said. “We’re real proud of
him. Once again, the 3-year-olds showed
up. I watched these horses in the holding
Curlin: Power and stamina in one tightly-wound package
6150 T H E B L O O D - H O R S E ■ N o v e m ber 3 , 2 0 0 7
“Why would we retire him?
So I can buy 10 more
that can’t run?”
g e o r g e b o lto n
barn and Curlin looked the best.”
It is worth noting that the only two hors-
es to compete in all three Triple Crown
races—Curlin and Hard Spun—went on
to finish one-two in the Classic. That fact
either dispels any myths about the Triple
Crown being too demanding on horses
or proves that Curlin and Hard Spun are
rare individuals—throwbacks to a time
when horses were tough and durable and
thrived on racing.
CURLIN
As for Curlin’s future, Bolton said, “I was
so blown away. Why would we retire him?
So I can go buy 10 more that can’t run? I
would love to run him in the Dubai World
Cup (UAE-I) and come back and point for
the Classic at Santa Anita.”
Jackson, who owns the largest share in
the colt, said the partners will get together
and decide what to do. “I’m on cloud nine,
so I’m not sure I’m rational right now,”
he said. “With Robby on board and Steve
training, I’m sure we can prove that he’s
one of the best in the last half-century.
This is one of the best generations I’ve
ever seen and I’ve been watching racing
since 1939. As a breeder, I’d love to have
the American breed move upward with
the distance, durability, power, and speed
that Curlin represents. But I’m a racing fan
and a handicapper, and I’d love to see him
come back and keep racing.”
So ends the latest chapter in the
amazing saga of Curlin. Bred in Ken-
tucky by Fares Farms, he has earned
his Horse of the Year title with two
distinct campaigns. There was the
spring campaign, in which he kept
firing bullets race after race through
the Triple Crown, despite having lit-
tle foundation under him. And there
was the summer and fall campaign,
in which he had two eight-week lay-
offs and showed he’s equally effec-
tive going into his races fresh.
He has won on the lead, come from
one length back to win, three lengths
back, five lengths back, and 10 and
13 lengths back. He equaled the track
record in the Classic and equaled
the stakes record in the Preakness,
each time turning in blistering final
fractions. He’s won photo finishes,
and he’s routed his opposition by as
many as 101⁄2 and 123⁄4 lengths.
Credit must be given to Asmus-
sen, who has directed Curlin’s cam-
paign like a four-star general. “Steve
made all the decisions regarding
training and which race we go to,”
said Sanan, who also is part-owner
of Any Given Saturday. “He’s done a
phenomenal job; no question about
it.”
Asmussen was equally as prophet-
ic as Jones when he commented be-
fore the Kentucky Derby, “This horse
has greatness in his future. You tend
to want to mention him with horses
whose names slide right off your
tongue.”
Now, six months later, Asmussen
has changed his way of thinking. He
no longer cares to mention Curlin in
BARBARA D. LIVINGSTON
the same breath with anyone.
“You’re looking to compare him
with something else,”he said, “but
there’s just not another horse to
compare him with.” b
B l o o d H o r s e N O W.c o m
 Eclipse Inside: Pedigrees, ◀ Jess Jackson accepts
Award past performances trophies Jan. 21 in
Winners of all champions Beverly Hills, Calif.

B l o o d H o r s e N O W . c o m

International Thoroughbred January 26, 2008/No.4

Breeding and Racing

2007
Horse
of the
Year
classic-winning
curlin earns
racing’s top prize
 Eclipse
Award
Curlin
WINNERS Horse of the Year and 3-Year-Old Male

jeffrey snyder
Wins in the Preakness, Jockey Club Gold Cup, and Breeders’ Cup Classic, above, earn Curlin the Horse of the Year title

by Steve haskin

O
head and the Jockey Club Gold Cup by a neck, his average margin
n Feb. 3, 2007, the proverbial snowball began its seem- of victory still was more than 51⁄2 lengths. He could beat you in
ingly innocuous descent down the mountain. Growing a stretch duel or he could blow you off the track. He won on the
larger and larger at an astounding rate, it soon became an front end sprinting; came from three, four, and five lengths back
avalanche that by October was an unstoppable force. in middle-distance races; and came from 10 and 13 lengths back
Few had seen anything like Curlin. Veteran horsemen could at classic distances.
not recall a young horse going on such a roll following his career As his trainer Steve Asmussen said, “There’s nothing I can
debut, and actually getting stronger as the year went on. compare him to—nothing.”
In less than 7 1⁄2 months after breaking his maiden, Curlin won Curlin’s first start was for trainer Helen Pitts. When the son of
the grade I Breeders’ Cup Classic – Powered by Dodge, Preak- Smart Strike—Sherriff’s Deputy, by Deputy Minister, romped by
ness Stakes, and Jockey Club Gold Cup, 123⁄4 lengths, the offers came pouring in. The colt’s owners, Mid-
Eclipse Voting: grade II Arkansas Derby, grade III Rebel night Cry Stable’s Shirley Cunningham and William Gallion, who
3-year-old male Stakes, finished second by a head in the bought the Fares Farm-bred colt for $57,000 as a Keeneland Sep-
1st place votes grade I Belmont Stakes and third in the tember yearling, sold majority interest to a partnership made up of
Curlin/262 grade I Kentucky Derby Presented by Jess Jackson, Satish Sanan, and George Bolton for a price believed
Street Sense/3 Yum! Brands and Haskell Invitational. to be between $3.5 and $3.7 million. Curlin was turned over to
Hard Spun/1
Despite winning the Preakness by a Asmussen, who had shipped to Gulfstream for a stakes run the

2007
DailyPast Performances
Racing Form 3yom. Thoroughbred
2 $5,102,800 119 D.Fst 8 5 1 2 $2,402,800 114
Curlin Ch. c. 3 (Mar) KEESEP05 $57,000
Sire: Smart Strike (Mr. Prospector) $75,000
Life 9 6 1
Own: Stonestreet Stables Padua Stables, Bo Dam:Sherriff's Deputy (Deputy Minister) 2007 9 6 1 2 $5,102,800 119 Wet(403) 1 1 0 0 $2,700,000 119
Synth 0 0 0 0 $0 -
Br: Fares Farm Inc (Ky) 2006 0 M 0 0 $0 - Turf(336) 0 0 0 0 $0 -
Tr: Asmussen Steven M(0 0 0 0 .00) 2007:(2273 488 .21)
0 0 0 0 $0 - Dst(0) 0 0 0 0 $0 -
27å07=11Mth slyø 1² :45©1:10¨ 1:35©2:00§ 3ÎBCClasic-G1 119 4 6¦¥ 5¬ 2§ 1¦ 1©ô Albarado R J L121 4.40 116= 07 Curlin121©ô Hard Spun121©ö Awesome Gem126¦ Drew off powerfully 9
30æ07=10Bel fst 1² :47©1:11¨ 1:36¦2:01¦ 3ÎJkyClbGC-G1 114 5 4§ô 4¨ 3¦ 2ô 1É Albarado R J L122 2.10 91= 13 Curlin122É Lawyer Ron126© Political Force126« Determined outside 7
5Ý07=13Mth fst 1° :47 1:10¨ 1:35§1:48¦ HsklInv-G1 105 5 5ª 5©ô 4¦ô 3¦ 3©ô Albarado R J L122 *.90 92= 13 Any Given Saturday118©ô Hard Spun118Ç Curlin122¨ô 4wd,needed more 7
9Þ07=11Bel fst 1¶ :50 1:15¦ 2:04©2:28¨ Belmont-G1 107 3 4¦ô 4¦ 2Ç 2Ç 2Ç Albarado R J L126 *1.10 94= 06 Rags to Riches121Ç Curlin126ªô Tiago126ªô Split 1/4pl, yielded 7
19Ü07=12Pim fst 1± :45¨1:09© 1:34¨1:53§ Preaknes-G1 111 4 6¤ô 7¦¨ 6«ô 2¦ô 1Ç Albarado R J L126 3.40 105= 05 Curlin126Ç Street Sense126© Hard Spun126¦ô Stumbled brk, 5wide 9
5Ü07=10CD fst 1² :46¦1:11 1:37 2:02 KyDerby-G1 98 2 13¦§14®ô 8©ô 6¬ö 3¤ Albarado R J L126 5.00 88= 09 Street Sense126§õ Hard Spun126ªö Curlin126ô Steady early,5w bid 20
14ß07=11OP fst 1° :47©1:12¨ 1:38 1:50 ArkDerby-G2 105 2 2¦ 3¨ 2¦ô 1¨ô 1¦¥ô Albarado R J L122 *.80 91= 17 Curlin122¦¥ô Storm in May122ô Deadly Dealer118ô Effortlssly well clear 9
17à07=10OP fst 1Â :23§ :47¨ 1:12§1:44¨ Rebel-G3 99 8 4© 5ªô 4¦õ 1§ô 1ªõ Albarado R J L117 2.70 83= 24 Curlin117ªõ Officer Rocket119§ô Teuflesberg122¦õ Swept to fore 4-w 9
Previously trained by Pitts Helen 2006: ( 210 34 31 25 0.16 )
3á07= 4GP fst 7f :22¨ :45§ 1:09©1:22¦ Md Sp Wt 38k 102 2 6 1Ç 1§ 1¨ 1¦§ö Bejarano R L122 *2.00 94= 06 Curlin122¦§ö Winstrella122©ö Marnesia's Big Boy122É Drifted out stretch 8
©2008 Daily Racing Form, INc. and Equibase Company LLC, all rights B.
reserved. 1 $2,673,470 112 D.Fst 9 4 2 1 $1,054,330 107
Hard Spun c. 3 (May)
Sire: Danzig (Northern Dancer) $200,000
Life 13 7 3
Own: Fox Hill Farms Inc 2007 10 4 3 1 $2,572,500 112 Wet(411) 2 1 1 0 $1,039,140 112
536 THE BLOOD-HORSE ■ J a n u a r y 2 6 ,Dam:Turkish
2 0 0 8 Tryst (Turkoman)
Br: Michael Moran & Brushwood Stable (Pa)
Synth 2 B2l o 0o d 0H o r $580,000
s e N O W.c
109 o m
2006 3 3 0 0 $100,970 87 Turf(386) 0 0 0 0 $0 -
Tr: Jones J. L(0 0 0 0 .00) 2007:(398 77 .19)
0 0 0 0 $0 - Dst(0) 0 0 0 0 $0 -
 Past 3-Year-Old Male Winners
1971 Canonero II 1984 Swale 1997 Silver Charm
1972 Key to the Mint 1985 Spend a Buck 1998 Real Quiet
1973 Secretariat 1986 Snow Chief 1999 Charismatic
1974 Little Current 1987 Alysheba 2000 Tiznow
1975 Wajima 1988 Risen Star 2001 Point Given
1976 Bold Forbes 1989 Sunday Silence 2002 War Emblem
1977 Seattle Slew 1990 Unbridled 2003 Funny Cide
1978 Affirmed 1991 Hansel 2004 Smarty Jones
1979 Spectacular Bid 1992 A.P. Indy 2005 Afleet Alex

barbara d. livingston
1980 Temperence Hill 1993 Prairie Bayou 2006 Bernardini
1981 Pleasant Colony 1994 Holy Bull 2007 Curlin
1982 Conquistador Cielo 1995 Thunder Gulch
1983 Slew o’ Gold 1996 Skip Away

same day as Curlin’s debut and happened to be stabled in his barn.

It didn’t take him long to realize this was a special horse. Curlin’s crew in the Preakness winner’s circle
“When he came into our barn and I began training him, we
knew he had only run one time,” Asmussen said. “But when we Belmont Stakes, Curlin came right back three weeks later and
took him to the Rebel, we knew he was going to win. He gave was involved in a gut-wrenching stretch duel with super filly Rags
every indication he was good enough and up to it. And then from to Riches, who hadn’t run since her victory in the Kentucky Oaks
there came the Arkansas Derby. After that, we were never sur- (gr. I). Curlin gave his all, but fell a head short.
prised when he won. We were only surprised when he got beat. “It wasn’t meant to be; that’s all,” Asmussen said. “I think she
He gave you that kind of confidence just from being around him. benefited from a perfect setup; she was a fresh horse and had to
He didn’t come back from his races—even his defeats—like other run only a half-mile.”
horses. He was just different from the rest of them.” Finally given some time off, Curlin came back eight weeks
Curlin’s first defeat came in the Kentucky Derby in only the later to finish third in the Haskell. Rather than rush him back in
fourth start of his career. He was making a big move on the turn, the Travers (gr. I), Asmussen gave him another eight weeks off
matching strides with the eventual winner, Street Sense. But and pointed for the Jockey Club Gold Cup, which Curlin won by a
when a horse came off the rail, it forced jockey Robby Albarado neck over the year’s champion older horse Lawyer Ron.
on Curlin to alter course while opening the rail up for Street “Spacing his races the second part of the year was by design,”
Sense. Asmussen said. “He needed to digest what he had done, and
In the Preakness, Curlin stumbled at the start and dropped when he came back, he actually was on level footing as far as
more than a dozen lengths off the pace. He made a big move on experience goes.”
the turn, but with his humongous strides, he had difficulty cut- The Breeders’ Cup Classic was payback time for Curlin, who
ting the corner at the top of the stretch and basically blew the destroyed one of the better Classic fields ever assembled, win-
turn. Street Sense charged by on Curlin’s inside and seemingly ning by 41⁄2 lengths over Hard Spun, with Street Sense fourth and
was on his way to another victory. But as soon as Curlin switched Haskell winner Any Given Saturday and Lawyer Ron well back on
leads and gathered himself, he the sloppy track. Curlin’s dominating victory nailed down Horse
Plans for 2008 leveled off and came running late of the Year and 3-year-old champion honors.
Remains in training for to nip Street Sense on the wire, After the race, assistant trainer Scott Blasi summed up Curlin,
defense of his title. equaling the stakes record. saying, “He’s already doing things we haven’t seen a horse do in
While Street Sense passed the 30 years.” B

Family Notes
Sire: SMART STRIKE, b, 1992. Raced 2 yrs, 8 sts, 6 wins, $337,376. Won Philip H. Iselin
Raise a Native, 1961 Native Dancer
4s, SW, $45,955
H (gr. I), Salvator Mile H (gr. III).
Mr. Prospector, 1970 838 f, 79 SW, 2.34 AEI Raise You Lifetime: 8 crops, 536 foals, 426 rnrs (79%), 304 wnrs (57%), 88 2yo wnrs (16%), 51 sw
14s, SW, $112,171 (10%), 2.86 AEI, 1.96 CI, 302 sale yrlgs, avg $86,658, 1.7 TNA.
SMART STRIKE, 1,178 f, 181 SW, 3.99 AEI Gold Digger, 1962 Nashua
35s, SW, $127,255
b, 1992
12 f, 7 r, 7 w, 3 SW Sequence 1st dam: Sherriff’s Deputy, b, 1994. Bred by Fares Farm (Ky.). Unraced. Dam of 5 named
foals, 5 rnrs, 3 wnrs, 1 sw.
Smarten, 1976 Cyane
27s, SW, $716,426
1998: Deputy, dkb/br f, by Hadif. Raced 4 yrs, 20 sts, 4 wins, $52,020.
Classy ‘n Smart, 1981 602 f, 49 SW, 1.71 AEI Smartaire 1999: Secret Wedge, gr/ro c, by Excellent Secret. Raced 3 yrs, 25 sts, 3 wins,
9s, SW, $303,222 $48,615.
9 f, 5 r, 5 w, 4 SW No Class, 1974 Nodouble
29s, wnr, $37,543 2002: Ms Deep Cover, gr/ro f, by Excellent Secret. Raced 1 yr, 1 st, 0 wins, $2,750. Died
CURLIN 8 f, 7 r, 7 w, 6 SW Classy Quillo 2005. ($11,000 texaug yrlg).
ch, c
March 25, 2004 Vice Regent, 1967 Northern Dancer 2003: Comic Hero, b g, by Wild Zone. Raced 2 yrs, 3 sts, 0 wins, $1,100. ($30,000 keejan
5s, wnr, $6,215 yrlg; $60,000 keesep yrlg).
Deputy Minister, 1979 672 f, 105 SW, 2.89 AEI Victoria Regina
22s, SW, $696,964 2004: CURLIN, ch c, by Smart Strike. ($57,000 keesep yrlg).
1,141 f, 89 SW, 2.67 AEI Mint Copy, 1970 Bunty’s Flight At 3: Won Preakness S (gr. I), Breeders’ Cup Classic - Powered by Dodge (gr. I),
76s, wnr, $53,945
7 f, 7 r, 4 w, 1 SW Shakney Jockey Club Gold Cup S (gr. I), Arkansas Derby (gr. II), Rebel S (gr. III); 2nd
Belmont S (gr. I); 3rd Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), Haskell
SHERRIFF’S Bates Motel, 1979 Sir Ivor
DEPUTY, 19s, SW, $851,050 Invitational S (gr. I).
b, 1994 Barbarika, 1985 579 f, 39 SW, 1.47 AEI Sunday Purchase 2005: Barren.
16s, SW, $347,253 2006: F, by Medaglia d’Oro. Died 2006.
12 f, 9 r, 4 w War Exchange, 1972 Wise Exchange
48s, SW, $123,073 2007: Dkb/br f, by Saint Liam.
10 f, 7 r, 6 w, 2 SW Jungle War 2008: Barren.
CURLIN’S RACE AND (STAKES) RECORD Broodmare sire: DEPUTY MINISTER, dkb/br, 1979-2004. Sire of 423 dams of 1,878 foals,
Year Age CURLIN’S
Sts RACE1stAND (STAKES) 2nd RECORD3rd Earned 1,329 rnrs (71%), 965 wnrs (51%), 291 2yo wnrs (15%), 1.89 AEI, 1.60 CI; 148 sw.
2007
Year at 3
Age 9
Sts 6(5)
1st 1(1)
2nd 2(2)
3rd $5,102,800
Earned
Lifetime 2nd dam: BARBARIKA, b, 1985. Bred by Dr. Herman Kossow (Ky.). Raced 3 yrs in Fr and
2007 at 3 9 9 6(5)
6(5) 1(1)
1(1) 2(2)
2(2) $5,102,800
$5,102,800 NA, 16 sts, 7 wins, $347,253. Won Johnnie Walker Black Classic H (gr. II), Turfway Park
Sire: SMARTLifetime
STRIKE, b, 1992.9 Raced 2 yrs,6(5)
8 sts, 6 wins,1(1)
$337,376. Won Philip H. Iselin
2(2) H (gr. I),
$5,102,800 Budweiser Breeders’ Cup H (gr. III); 3rd Louisville Budweiser Breeders’ Cup H (gr. II).
Salvator Mile H (gr. III).
Lifetime: 8 crops, 536 foals, 426 rnrs (79%), 304 wnrs (57%), 88 2yo wnrs (16%), 51 sw (10%),
2.86 AEI, 1.96 CI, 302 sale yrlgs, avg $86,658, 1.7 TNA.
B l o o d1st
H odam:
rseN O W.c oDeputy,
Sherriff’s m b, 1994. Bred by Fares Farm (Ky.). Unraced. Dam of 5 named foals, 5 T H E B L O O D - H O R S E ■ J ANUA R Y 2 6 , 2 0 0 8 537
rnrs, 3 wnrs, 1 sw.
 HOT Big Brown’s Fla. Derby
romp makes for big
■
■
KY. CASINO BILL DEAD/1817
CASSE FAMILY/1850

BROWN day for Dutrow, IEAH

■
■
FIRST SATURDAY IN MAY/1854
HAY, STRAW SHORTAGE/1856

B l o o d H o r s e N O W . c o m

®
International Thoroughbred Breeding and Racing A p r i l 5 , 2 0 0 8 / N o . 14

Curlin the
Conqueror

Curlin easily
wins the
dubai world cup
 NAD AL SHEBA RACECOURSE

World Class
DUBAI WORLD CUP

By Colin MacKenzie

A
merica’s fragile foreign balance of
trade received a $7-million boost
when Horse of the Year Curlin led
a charge of three U.S. victories at
the fabulous Dubai World Cup meeting.
The lion’s share of the prize money ($3.6
million) and glory went to Curlin, who
posted a scintillating 73⁄4-length victory in
the showcase race, the Dubai World Cup
- Sponsored by Emirates Airline (UAE-I).
The giant son of Smart Strike bullied his
11 rivals into submission as he powered
clear in the stretch, with commentator
Terry Spargo calling the victory a TKO.
Certainly those in his slipstream looked
punch drunk as Robby Albarado eased
down on the chestnut, who easily con-
quered the 80° temperature and high hu-
midity. Defying the outside draw—joining
Roses in May as the only previous winner
to break from post 12—Curlin lay up with
the early pace set by Well Armed and Asi-
atic Boy. As the trio turned into the three-
furlong home straight, Albarado, who has
ridden Curlin, a 4-year-old colt out of the
Deputy Minister mare Sherriff’s Deputy, in
all but his first race, pressed the turbo, and
there was an immediate response.
The 4-11 favorite pulled steadily clear,
Day insisted the performance lagged be-
hind that of Dubai Millennium, who rated
139, and inaugural winner Cigar (132). For
those connected with Curlin, however, it
was a performance of majesty and style,
following elegantly in the shadow of the
extraordinary fireworks display that bi-
sected the fourth and fifth races of the
night.
Curlin will ship back to Keeneland April
6, where he will eventually resume light
training on the Polytrack surface. Happily,
Curlin came out of his race unscathed,
unlike so many previous winners of this
tough race, and took his career earnings
to $8,807,800.
“He was spot on,” trainer Steve Asmus-
sen said. “He has spoiled us with his con-
sistency. He stepped out of the stall in very
good order and was handy the whole way,
and we hope it continues.
“For someone from a racing family to
have the best horse in the world under my
care is a dream come true. We had a great
amount of faith in our animal, even though
we had a lot of concern about the draw.
“From Keeneland we’ll plan a course for Horse of the Year Curlin
Robby Albarado and Curlin separate them- wins the Dubai World Cup
TREVOR JONES

the only slight disappointment being that
he failed to match the ill-fated Dubai Mil-
lennium’s 2000 course record of 1:59.50
by 0.65 of a second. Nevertheless, he beat
Dubai Millennium’s winning distance
of six lengths impressively enough, with
Albarado seemingly having a little up his
sleeve.
The South African-trained Asiatic Boy
stayed on well to take second place, with
Well Armed a neck away third and A. P.
Arrow only three-quarters of a length back
in fourth place.
It was as comprehensive a win of the
world’s most valuable race as you could
expect to see and confirmed Curlin’s sta-
tus as the world’s best Thoroughbred.
However, local handicapper Melvin Day
tempered enthusiasm for the performance
by pointing out that none of Curlin’s rivals
could be given a rating above 118. He rated
the victory worthy only of his current rat-
ing of 129. “The first four all ran to their
ratings, which is satisfying for handicap-
pers,” Day said. “But there wasn’t any-
thing in the field in a position to give him
by a record margin
selves from the pack down the stretch at
Nad al Sheba; below, majority owner Jess
Jackson hoists the World Cup trophy
the second half of the year. It will be decid-
ed collectively and based on what’s in the
best interest of the horse and his legacy.”
For Albarado it was the best win of his
life, not to mention the most lucrative. “It
was as easy as it looked; he is such a spe-
cial horse,” Albarado said. “I don’t want
to take anything away from the field, but
he has shown he is the best horse in the
world.
“He was on the outside coming down
the stretch, where he likes to be, and when
I called on him he was there. This is the
highlight of my career. I’m sure with the
team behind him he can go on. Steve (As-
mussen), (his assistant) Scott Blasi, Carlos
(Carmen Rosas, exercise rider), and all the
team have done a fantastic job with him.”
Principal owner Jess Jackson, 78,
praised Sheikh Mohammed’s stance on
medication-free racing and said he was
DAVE HARMON
just in ethics, but in medications,” Jackson
said. “We call them medications—they
are drugs.
“To avoid confrontation on the issue, we
get into discussions about the amounts and
how much can be tolerated. We shouldn’t
tolerate anything. I’m a believer in zero tol-
eration, and that’s a reason why we were
racing in Dubai.
“Sheikh Mohammed and the Maktoum
family have been extremely supportive of
breeding and racing in America, and this
was a personal way to thank him.”
Well Armed, ridden by Aaron Gryder
and trained by Eoin Harty, stayed on well
to be third just behind Asiatic Boy, the lat-
ter capping a wonderful night for trainer
Mike de Kock. A. P. Arrow gave the Paul-
son family, who of course owned inaugu-
ral 1996 Dubai World Cup winner Cigar, a
great thrill.
He was unbeaten in three races at Nad al
Sheba this year and was the second-fa-
vorite under Frankie Dettori. But he just
couldn’t live with Curlin’s class and faded
to seventh. “Jalil was too young and inex-
perienced,” Dettori said. “It was a year too
early for him, and we will have to wait for
next year.”
Nevertheless, the colt, campaigned
with limited success on grass in England
in 2006 and 2007, will remain on dirt now
and could go to the U.S. later this year.
Richard Dutrow, who chose to remain in
Florida, where his colt Big Brown won the
Florida Derby (gr. I), making him a leading
hope for the Kentucky Derby Presented by
Yum! Brands (gr. I), landed a stunning dou-
ble with Diamond Stripes in the Godolphin
Mile - Sponsored by Etisalat (UAE-II) and
Benny the Bull in the Dubai Golden Sha-
heen - Sponsored by Gulf News (UAE-I),

a real race. You can’t knock him, but he anxious to start Curlin’s 4-year-old career The huge disappointment of the race both horses ridden by Edgar Prado. Dia-
didn’t show me the ‘wow’ factor.” in this environment. “In America, we are was Godolphin’s Jalil, the $9.7-million mond Stripes a 5-year-old gray/roan geld-
Some, it seems, are never satisfied, but lax in enforcing the rules that exist, not yearling purchase at Keeneland in 2005. ing by Notebook—Romantic Summer, by

1844 THE BLOOD-HORSE ■ APRIL 5, 2008 B l o o d H o r s e N O W.c o m B l o o d H o r s e N O W.c o m THE BLOOD-HORSE ■ APRIL 5, 2008 1845
 what a Older female
rivals no match
■
■
CONGRESSIONAL HEARINGS/3157
STATE TO TAKE OVER NYCOTB/3159

knockout for Ginger Punch

■
■
REAL ESTATE MARKET/3176
IEAH’S MEDICAL CENTER/3180

BloodHorse.com

®
International Thoroughbred Breeding and Racing J u n e 21, 2 0 0 8 / N o . 2 5

Rousing
Return

CURLIN CRUSHES STEPHEN FOSTER

FOES IN FIRST START SINCE WORLD CUP
Out of the Gate

CRUISIN’
Curlin easily wins the Stephen
Foster Handicap in his first
start at Churchill Downs since
last year’s Kentucky Derby
Reed Palmer photo

‘Routine Brilliance’
Reigning Horse of the Year Curlin returns to U.S. racing
with a resounding victory in the Stephen Foster
I
n this hard-knocking world, we are
not inclined to let an athlete rest upon
his laurels. Greatness must be tested…
then tested again. But hope still springs
eternal, and that is Thoroughbred racing’s
greatest draw—the draw that brought
fans to Churchill Downs for the $1-million
Stephen Foster Handicap (gr. I) June 14.
With memories of Big Brown’s Belmont
Stakes (gr. I) loss and Eight Belles’ break-
down in the Kentucky Derby Presented by
Yum! Brands (gr. I) still painfully fresh,
the racing industry was in desperate need
of a hero. Returning to the United States
after consecutive victories in Dubai, 2007
anne m. eberhardt photos
Curlin, with jockey Robby Albarado easing up, crosses the finish line of the Stephen Foster Handicap
B l o o d H o r s e .c o m
B y C l a i r e N o va k
Horse of the Year Curlin was poised to fill
the void. And the 4-year-old son of Smart
Strike came through, delivering a riveting
performance that was everything his con-
nections had hoped it would be.
It is difficult to overdramatize the man-
ner in which Curlin won the 11⁄8-mile affair.
The facts speak for themselves. Saddled
by trainer Steve Asmussen and assistant
Scott Blasi and sent off as the 2-5 favorite
under a 128-pound impost, the colt over-
came a troubled beginning when he collid-
ed with the gate at the start, then rated in
tight quarters while along the rail despite
his obvious preference for the outside. He
THE BLOOD-HORSE ■ june 21, 2008
C hurchill D owns
found daylight and
made his move at the Race Replays at
head of the stretch, BloodHorse.com
taking just one tap c graded
from rider Robby Al-
North american
stakes
barado’s whip before drawing away to win
by 41⁄4 lengths. To use Albarado’s descrip-
tion, it was “routine brilliance.
“He’s so manageable now,” Albarado
said. “I guided him through there, he
made the lead turning for home, and he
just went on and proved he’s the best horse
in the world. He’s getting better and better
every time, and it just scares me (to think)
how good he can get. We need a superstar
3187
 C hurchill D owns
in this business, and I think Curlin has
stepped up to the plate.”
Judging by the reaction of the crowd
Horse
under the Twin Spires, this colt is more
than worthy of the title majority owner
Jess Jackson has bestowed upon him—
that of “the people’s horse.” As Curlin
walked to the frontside before the Ste-
phen Foster, fans and horsemen alike
stopped in their tracks to admire his
fluid stride and regal bearing. After the
race, they greeted his return to the win-
ner’s circle with a standing ovation.
“This is just an affirmation of what
we felt racing needs,” Jackson said.
“We need more heroes. We need more
Curlins. We need more racing fans.
And the industry will thrive if we get
back to the golden days of early racing,
when it was a family scene for the fans and ings of $9,396,800, just $603,015 away said. “But right now, we’re going to plan
for the sport, not necessarily for gaming.”
Twelve starts. Nine wins. A five-race earnings by a North American-based run- sibility of running him on the turf.”
string of victories that includes the Dubai ner. Curlin is building a legacy that should
World Cup (UAE-I) and the Breeders’ Cup only get better as the season goes on—for if more for the industry and fans than it does
Classic - Powered by Dodge (gr. I). Earn- he works well over Churchill’s Matt Winn for me,” Jackson said. “He had to overcome
Curlin with Barbara Banke, assistant Scott Blasi, Albarado, and majority owner Jess Jackson
3188 THE BLOOD-HORSE ■ june 21, 2008
Stephen Foster (Curlin)
turf course in the weeks to come, his
All-Time Leaders By Earnings connections plan to point him toward
Longchamp’s prestigious Prix de l’Arc
Starts Wins 2nd 3rd Earnings
de Triomphe (Fr-I).
Cigar 33 19 4 5 $9,999,815 Preparing for that Oct. 5 event would
Skip Away 38 18 10 6 $9,616,360 entail starting Curlin in a U.S. turf race
Curlin 12 9 1 2 $9,396,800 the weekend of July 12-13. Major turf
events for older horses scheduled that
Fantastic Light 25 12 5 3 $8,486,957 weekend include the $500,000 Man o’
Invasor 12 11 0 0 $7,804,070 War Stakes (gr. IT) at 13⁄8 miles at Bel-
Pleasantly Perfect 18 9 3 2 $7,789,880 mont Park and the $200,000 Arlington
Handicap (gr. IIIT) at 11⁄4 miles at Ar-
Smarty Jones 9 8 1 0 $7,613,155
lington Park. Curlin would then ship
Silver Charm 24 12 7 2 $6,944,369 to Chantilly, France, where he would
Captain Steve 25 9 3 7 $6,828,356 train and race in a prep before run-
Alysheba 26 11 8 2 $6,672,242 ning in the Arc.
Statistics courtesy of Equibase; North American-based runners
“If we don’t like how he works on the
turf, then we’ll change plans and that
will have to be discussed,” Asmussen
from Cigar’s record-setting $9,999,815 in on working him on the turf, with the pos-
“I think (the Stephen Foster win) means
a lot of challenges, but he always gives us
everything he has, and he always has that
Curlin finish. He’s going to be one for the
centuries, we hope.”
“What a special horse,” Asmussen
added. “It’s just an honor and a pleasure to
be involved with him. To watch him come
down the stretch when Robby asked him
to lengthen his stride was a tremendous
feeling. I can’t tell you what a fan I am of
his; I couldn’t almost believe what we just
watched, and the results speak for who he
is.”
Asmussen patterned Curlin’s return
from the March 29 World Cup victory
after the regimen of the Saeed bin Suroor-
trained Street Cry, who aced the overseas
test after a prep race over the Nad al Sheba
Race Course, then returned to claim a
61⁄2-length score in the 2002 edition of the
Stephen Foster.
That pattern paid off, as did the work
of exercise rider Carmen Rosas, who had
breezed the horse inside company to im-
prove his rail-skimming bid. Previously,
Curlin had demonstrated a preference for
the outside, a slight flaw that may have
cost him the Belmont to Rags to Riches
last year. In the Stephen Foster, however,
the colt was boxed in on the rail—tucked
behind slow opening fractions of :25.01
and :49.28 established by the pacesetting
Barcola—until he found running room at
the head of the stretch.
“He looked very relaxed in Robby’s
hands,” Asmussen said. “The first quar-
ter was concerning, but Robby sensed
that and moved him up to a good posi-
tion about halfway around the first turn.
I was very nervous until I saw his head
peek through daylight at the head of the
stretch. When Robby moved forward and
B l o o d H o r s e .c o m
 Northern Dancer (Pyro)
the horse lengthened his stride, it just
looked tremendous.”
After three-quarters in 1:13.41 and a
mile in 1:37.39, Curlin drew away to his
much-the-best score in 1:49.68 over a
determined Einstein. That Helen Pitts-
trained turf star made a game move
from sixth to finish second by a nose
over Barcola. The winner conceded
10 and 13 pounds, respectively, to the
runners rounding out the trifecta.
Grasshopper, Brass Hat, Jonesboro, De-
lightful Kiss, Sam P., High Blues, and
Red Rock Creek completed the order of
finish.
Bred in Kentucky by Fares Farm
out of the Deputy Minister mare Sher-
riff’s Deputy, Curlin was purchased for
$57,000 by trainer Kenny McPeek at
the 2005 Keeneland September sale by
Midnight Cry Stables, the racing entity
owned by incarcerated attorneys Wil-
liam Gallion and Shirley Cunningham
Jr. Jackson’s Stonestreet Stables pur-
chased an interest in the colt follow-
ing his 123⁄4-length maiden romp at Gulf-
stream Park in February 2007. Stonestreet
currently owns an 80% interest in Curlin.
Pyromaniac
Asmussen sent Winchell Thorough-
breds’ Pyro out to work in company with
Curlin in the days leading up to this year’s
Kentucky Derby. He expected the older
colt’s professionalism and focus to rub off
on his younger stablemate, and while Pyro
finished eighth in the Derby, the lessons
he learned from Curlin apparently did not
go to waste. The homebred son of Pulpit
proved his career was far from extin-
Pyro fires in the Northern Dancer
B l o o d H o r s e .c o m
Fleur de Lis (Hystericalady)
Trainer Steve Asmussen had two big winners
on the day with Curlin and Pyro
guished when he delivered a victory in the
$190,925 Northern Dancer Stakes (gr. III),
just two races before his elder stablemate
scored the Foster win.
It was gratifying for Asmussen to see
a rebound from Pyro, whose promising
3-year-old campaign was doused first by a
10th-place finish in the Toyota Blue Grass
Stakes (gr. I) over Keeneland’s Polytrack,
then further rained upon by his off-the-
board finish in the Derby. But the colt came
back with a vengeance in the 11⁄16-mile
Northern Dancer, calling to mind memo-
ries of his dominating victories in the
Risen Star Stakes (gr. III) and Louisiana
T H E B L O O D - H O R S E ■ JUN E 2 1 , 2 0 0 8
Derby (gr. II) at Fair Grounds earlier
this season.
“He ran a strong race,” said Asmus-
sen, who was particularly pleased with
Pyro’s willingness to relax and rate off
a moderate pace set by frontrunners
Texas Wildcatter and My Pal Charlie.
“I’m just proud of how he acted. He
was very confident and back to how he
was over the winter. I was glad to see
it. Hopefully, this is the first step to a
very good second half of the year.”
Sixth at the start under Shaun Bridg-
mohan, Pyro quickly pulled into third
as the front two raced through early
fractions of :24.88 and :48.83. Keen,
but willing to settle as the leaders went
three-quarters in 1:13.08, Pyro closed
the gap on the final turn and made a
move three wide. The time for the mile
was 1:37.23, and by then Pyro was
smoking his competition to win by 13⁄4
lengths in a final time of 1:43.53. My
Pal Charlie hung on for second, while
Visionaire closed to get third. Illinois
Derby (gr. II) winner Recapturetheglory,
the post time favorite, finished fourth after
a rough break.
“(Pyro) was coming off two extremely
disappointing efforts for a top-class horse,”
said Asmussen, who will now point the
colt toward the $200,000 Dwyer Stakes
(gr. II) at Belmont Park July 6 as a prep for
the $1-million Haskell Invitational (gr. I)
at Monmouth Park Aug. 3. “He was a lot
sharper in this race and looked comfort-
able the whole time. Scott (Blasi) did a
great job with him, doing a lot of schooling
and getting him able to run back here. He
beat a nice group of horses today.”
Pyro is out of the Wild Again mare Wild
Vision. He owns a 4-2-1 record from nine
starts, with earnings of $1,174,063.
Hystericalady Starts
Gomez Spree
Garrett Gomez was the go-to rider of
the afternoon, getting in the winner’s cir-
cle aboard three of his six graded stakes
mounts—and the Jerry Hollendorfer-
trained Hystericalady provided his initial
score with a dominating 71⁄2 -length tri-
umph in the $321,900 Fleur de Lis Handi-
cap (gr. II). Sent out by owners Tom Clark
of Rancho San Miguel, George Todaro,
and Hollendorfer in the 11⁄8-mile dirt test
for older fillies and mares, the 5-year-old
daughter of Distorted Humor added yet
another graded win to an already-distin-
guished resumé that includes the Humana
Distaff Stakes (gr. I) earned at Churchill
last year.
Gomez was in the saddle aboard Hys-
tericalady for the first time, who broke
alertly and pressed the early pace set by
Initforthekandy, going the first quarter-
mile in :24.78 and the half in :49.69 before
3189
 simply Zenyatta headlines
Oak Tree’s star-
■
■
RACING’S ‘HEDGE’ FUNDS/4804
SEPTEMBER SALE WRAP/4808

‘z’ best studded weekend

■
■
KENTUCKY CUP/4822
RAVEN’S PASS’ QE II MILE/4824

BloodHorse.com

®
International Thoroughbred Breeding and Racing October 4, 2008/No.40

Figure
Eight

with
gold cup win,
curlin becomes
the all-time
leading earner;
$10,246,800
 B elmont

Money Man
Curlin’s second victory in the Jockey Club Gold Cup
makes him the all-time North American leading money earner
By Steve Haskin

T
en million dollars and counting.
Having established a new earnings
record for North American-based
horses by winning the $750,000 Jockey
Club Gold Cup (gr. I) Sept. 27, will Cur-
“First we’ll have to get him adjusted,” colt’s victory in the
Jackson said over the phone from Califor- Aug. 30 Woodward Race Replays at
nia, where he was attending a charity auc- Stakes (gr. I) is now BloodHorse.com
tion at his Stonestreet winery that raises
money for children’s causes in Sonoma get the racing world

open wide enough to c North american
graded stakes

lin now head for the $5-million Breeders’
Cup Classic (gr. I)? That is the question
everyone is asking, and judging from
majority owner Jess Jackson’s comments
following the race, and the colt’s quick
departure to California, the showdown
between Curlin and Big Brown that ev-
eryone has been clamoring for looks as
if it just may happen.
County and the Bay Area. “But it is up to
him whether he likes the track and the sur-
face. So, those are concerns we still have.
But we’ll consider it now that we’re past
this hurdle. That’s the next prospect for us
and we’ll give it every bit of attention.”
The morning after the Gold Cup, Curlin
was on a plane to Santa Anita. So, the crack
in the door that Jackson left following the
excited.
“We haven’t avoided him (Big Brown),”
Jackson said. “I don’t fault them for the
way they’ve handled Big Brown. But if he is
truly going to the big race, we’ll have to see
whether Curlin likes the track. There is al-
ways the Clark (Handicap, gr. II) after that
or the Japan Cup (Dirt, Jpn-I). So, we have
to take them one at a time. I don’t want to

skip dickstein photos

Wanderin Boy, right, makes a race of it, but Curlin eases past to score a three-quarter-length win in the Jockey Club Gold Cup

4812 T H E B L O O D - H O R S E ■ O c tober 4 , 2 0 0 8 B l o o d H o r s e .c o m
 Jockey Club Gold Cup (Curlin)

risk a horse of Curlin’s stature that of Smart Strike—Sherriff’s Deputy,

we need in the gene pool. So, I am Top 25 All-Time Leading Earners by Deputy Minister, split horses
being very cautious and doing my (with at least one North American start) and took off after Wanderin Boy,
due diligence first.” through Sept. 27, 2008 who had been dogged by Merchant
With his victory, Curlin pushed HORSE STARTS 1st 2nd 3rd EARNINGS Marine the whole way.
his earnings to $10,246,800, eclips- CURLIN 15 11 2 2 $10,246,800 “I just let him find himself early
ing Cigar’s mark of $9,999,815, Cigar 33 19 4 5 $9,999,815 and didn’t rush him off his feet,”
which stood for 12 years. In his Skip Away 38 18 10 6 $9,616,360 Albarado said. “I let him take us
only two years of racing, Curlin Fantastic Light 25 12 5 3 $8,486,957 into the race. He rated kind for me.
earned $5,102,800 in 2007 and has Invasor 12 11 0 0 $7,804,070 He instills so much confidence in
earned $5,144,000 so far in 2008. Pleasantly Perfect 18 9 3 2 $7,789,880 you when he reaches out with that
“It’s very emotional for me,” Smarty Jones 9 8 1 0 $7,613,155 long stride. He’s just an amazing
trainer Steve Asmussen said. “I’m Silver Charm 24 12 7 2 $6,944,369 athlete. He knows what he has to
Captain Steve 25 9 3 7 $6,828,356 do to win, and he does it.”
excited and proud of everyone in-
Alysheba 26 11 8 2 $6,679,242
volved with the horse. He’s had Curlin swung to the outside and
Dylan Thomas 20 10 4 1 $6,620,852
back-to-back $5-million years. John Henry 83 39 15 9 $6,591,860
pulled to within 11⁄2 lengths of
This is what I wanted, for him to Tiznow 15 8 4 2 $6,427,830 Wanderin Boy as they passed the
be the all-time money-winning Ouija Board 22 10 3 5 $6,312,552 quarter pole. Wanderin Boy still
horse. What a great ring it has to Singspiel 20 9 8 0 $5,952,825 had some fight left in him, but Cur-
it.” Falbrav 26 13 5 5 $5,825,517 lin was too strong for the 7-year-
The enormity of the victory Medaglia d’Oro 17 8 7 0 $5,754,720 old. A confident Albarado never
didn’t hit jockey Robby Albarado Best Pal 47 18 11 4 $5,668,245 went to the whip as Curlin eased
until he returned after the race. “It Taiki Blizzard 23 6 8 2 $5,523,549 clear to win by three-quarters of a
really hit me when I realized I just Roses in May 13 8 4 0 $5,490,187 length in 2:01.93 for the 11⁄4 miles.
Dance in the Mood 25 6 6 1 $5,456,107
rode the richest horse in America,” Wanderin Boy, who has now fin-
Electrocutionist 12 8 3 1 $5,407,533
he said. “I’m sure the record will ished second in grade I stakes to
High Chaparral 13 10 1 2 $5,331,231
be broken some day, but it’ll take a English Channel 23 13 4 1 $5,319,028
champions Curlin, Invasor, Ber-
helluva horse to do it.” Lava Man 46 17 8 5 $5,268,706 nardini, and Lawyer Ron, was 33⁄4
And the rousing ovation that Source: Equibase lengths ahead of Merchant Marine,
greeted Curlin after the race was who had 71⁄4 lengths on Mambo in
one worthy of North American racing’s right to the lead and was able to set leisure- Seattle.
first $10-million earner. “He’s deserving of ly fractions of :24.67, :48.79, and 1:13.08. After the race, Wanderin Boy’s trainer,
all the applause,” Asmussen said. Albarado had the 2-5 Curlin in fifth, about Nick Zito, went looking for Asmussen.
All the elements seemed right for Curlin five lengths back. Down the backstretch, “Congratulations,” he said. “We made you
to break the record. He was back at Bel- Curlin seemed to lose his position, drop- run a little.”
mont, where he had won last year’s Jockey ping farther back off the pace. Albarado Zito added: “Wanderin Boy ran a tre-
Club Gold Cup; he was back on a sloppy bided his time and tucked him in behind mendous race. I was just hoping Curlin
track, over which he romped in last year’s horses. When he asked Curlin for his would get a little tired, but he’s in a differ-
Breeders’ Cup Classic at Monmouth Park. move nearing the half-mile pole, the son ent league.”
And his biggest threats were the hard-
knocking Wanderin Boy, whom he
had already defeated in the Wood-
ward, and the 3-year-old Mambo in
Seattle, beaten a nose in the Travers
Stakes (gr. I), who had never run on a
sloppy track.
All day, there was a good deal of
buzz about Wanderin Boy, a stakes
winner in the slop, who looked to
pose a major threat on the lead, espe-
cially when horses on or just off the
lead turning for home won every race
except the Beldame Stakes (gr. I), in
which Cocoa Beach came from last in
a four-horse field to wear down heav-
ily favored Ginger Punch in the final
strides.
Prior to the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic
(gr. IT), an anxious Albarado, already
dressed in Jackson’s silks, stopped by
the TV monitor in the tunnel. “I’m just
hoping to get the Cocoa Beach trip,”
he said. “That’s what I’m looking for.
We’ve got a whole other race to go. I’m
ready to go now.”
Not as ready as Curlin, as it turned Golden Smiles: The Jockey Club’s chairman Ogden Mills “Dinny” Phipps (left) presents the trophy
out. Wanderin Boy, as expected, went to jockey Robby Albarado, Barbara Banke, Pat Cunningham, and trainer Steve Asmussen and family

B l o o d H o r s e .c o m T H E B L O O D - H O R S E ■ O c tober 4 , 2 0 0 8 4813