Curlin not avoiding tough competitors

Horseracing Betting Lines

08/07/2008 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Managing partner Jess Jackson announced on Tuesday that 2007 Horse of the Year Curlin will make his next start at Saratoga in the $500,000 Woodward Stakes on the main track. This is an indication that the four-year-old will go where the best competition is and not just for the money.

"The Woodward has the least purse," Jackson said, "but we thought it would be best to stay at this venue (where Curlin is currently training), both for him and for racing."

Two million-dollar races were strongly considered for Curlin, Saturday's Arlington Million on the grass and the Pacific Classic at Del Mar on Sunday, August 24. The Pacific Classic is run on a synthetic surface that Jackson is not completely sold on.

"We'd like to go (to the Breeders' Cup Classic), but it's an untested surface, and we're very uncertain about it" Jackson said, in reference to the Pro-Ride synthetic track currently being installed at Santa Anita Park, which will host the Breeders Cup both this year and in 2009.

Besides, Jackson said in reference to the Classic, "He's won the Classic already, been there, done that."

Curlin, trained by Steve Asmussen and ridden by Robby Albarado, is about $500,000 from passing Cigar on the all-time earnings list for North American based thoroughbreds. Cigar closed his career with more than $9.9 million in earnings and Curlin now has better than $9.4 million.

Winning the Woodward wouldn't put Curlin past Cigar on the list, but would move him ahead of Skip Away into second. That is if the Saratoga jinx doesn't get the colt.

"I've heard expressions like it's a graveyard for champions and that sort of thing," Jackson noted. "That's nonsense. A horse is a horse. He's going to run if he likes it not. Every course is different. He loves Oklahoma (the Saratoga training track) and I think the main course here is no problem at all. I've walked that surface myself. It looks very well-kept. I compliment New York for, in stressed circumstances, continuing to maintain Belmont's surface and Saratoga's surface as well as they did."

Last year, as a three-year-old, Curlin met and defeated older horses for the first time in the Jockey Club Gold Cup. He followed that victory with a commanding performance in the Breeders' Cup Classic. After the Woodward he may return to Belmont Park for the Gold Cup or go to Suffolk Downs for the Mass Cap.

"Suffolk is an alternative along with, of course, the Jockey Gold Cup," Jackson said. "They fall about the same day, I think. I don't know, my memories, the same weekend anyway. There's a race or two on the West Coast. We're not looking for a particular race, we're looking for what Curlin's fit for doing and then of course the other considerations come in to it, the surface, the size of the price, and of course what's best for his legacy. His legacy is one of the reasons I want to run at Saratoga. It has a history here as an historic venue that will add luster to his legacy, not necessarily to his pocketbook. We're very happy here and that's why we chose this. But Suffolk, yes. I think the ownership there is very aggressive, they're doing a very good job and we will keep it on our radar screen."

Jackson and Asmussen are not boastful. They simply know they have the best racehorse going and will give the public every chance to see Curlin run.

"I cannot speak for what he means to anybody else," Asmussen said. "I think the interest level on him here is as high as anywhere we have gone. 'Where's Curlin running?' has definitely come out of people's mouths. With the announcement that he will be running here, I am anxious to see the turnout."