CURLIN GRINDS IT OUT
By Ray Paulick
Reigning Horse of the Year Curlin edged past a stubborn pacesetter, Past the Point, to win the Grade 1 Woodward by a length and a quarter at Saratoga Saturday and move closer to Cigar’s earnings record of $9,999,815 for a North America-based Thoroughbred.
(VIDEO, Equibase charts for Saratoga)
Under regular rider Robby Albarado, Curlin broke well, but was jostled and carried out a bit wide into the first turn of the nine-furlong Woodward, then settled into fourth position as Edgar Prado guided Past the Point through quick early fractions of :22.89, :46.20 and 1:09.61. Wanderin Boy prompted the early pace.
Albarado asked Curlin for more run approaching the far turn, passed Wanderin Boy at the head of the stretch and set his sights on Past the Point, who came into the Woodward with just one graded stakes appearance (a third in last year’s Grade 2 Super Derby at Louisiana Downs) in nine starts. But the Eoin Harty-trained son of Indian Charlie racing for Darley Stable made Curlin work for the win. Albarado went to the whip a half-dozen times, getting up in the final furlong to grind out a hard-earned victory. Past the Point was second, with Wanderin Boy third. Final time of the race on a fast track was 1:49.34 after a mile split of 1:35.33. All starters carried 126 pounds.
It was Curlin’s first race at Saratoga and his 10th win in 14 lifetime starts. The 4-year-old son of Smart Strike races for Jess Jackson’s Stonestreet Stables and is trained by Steve Asmussen. The win in the $500,000 Woodward moved his career earnings to $9,796,800, putting him just over $200,000 shy of Cigar’s record.
The Woodward was Curlin’s fourth win in five starts this year, his only defeat coming last time out in the Grade 1 Man o’ War at Belmont Park when Jackson wanted to try the horse on grass before a possible trip to France for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. That idea was scrapped when Curlin finished second to Red Rocks and now Jackson is thought to be considering the Japan Cup Dirt the first week of December. He has indicated that Curlin will not defend his title in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, won last year on a very sloppy track at Monmouth Park but scheduled on Santa Anita Park’s untested Pro-Ride synthetic track this year.
Curlin paid $2.70 as the heavy betting favorite.
FIRST DEFENCE went wire to wire to win the Grade 1 Forego after heavy favorite Lucky Island stumbled badly and was pinched back at the start. Under jockey Channing HIll, the 4-year-old son of Unbridled’s Song fought off an early duel with Eternal Star, setting fractions of :22.53, :44.61, and 1:08.49, then drawing off to win by 6 3/4 lengths, completing seven furlongs on a fast track in 1:21.55. Greeley’s Conquest finished second, with Ferocious Fires third. Lucky Island, who came into the Forego off four straight victories, moved into contention at the top of the stretch after falling back to last, but was unable to sustain his rally and wound up sixth.
The Forego winner runs for his breeder, Prince Khalid Abdullah’s Juddmonte Farms, and is trained by Robert Frankel. He was winning for the sixth time in 12 starts, but his only previous graded stakes victory came in the Grade 3 Jaipur. First Defence paid $17.60.
Copyright © 2008, The Paulick Report
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Tags: channing hill, cigar, Curlin, first defence, jess jackson, juddmonte, past the point, saratoga, steve asmussen, stonestreet stables, woodward
August 30th, 2008 at 8:15 pm
Curlin has obviously lost a few steps. 14 starts and he is already declining. I’m not sure owners/trainers are benefitting these horses by letting them deteriorate in their stalls instead of racing them.
August 31st, 2008 at 1:28 am
His Foster was fair at best, his turf race was dull, and this finish was flat out ugly. Another horse that wasn’t the same after Dubai
August 31st, 2008 at 2:02 pm
I dunno, look where he started his run. That was a looonnnggg, sustained run. He’s a gutsy horse and still the best dirt horse in the world.
August 31st, 2008 at 3:51 pm
Curlin certainly hasnt been the same horse since the big outcry on performance enhancers / steroids, Big Brown and Congress. Thats for sure.
September 1st, 2008 at 12:03 am
I went to the Woodward and had a wonderful time. From what I saw, Albarado was content to sit back but as soon as he asked Curlin, Curlin went and did his job - easily. I was worried, mostly because of Saratoga’s “giant killer” reputation, but as soon as I saw Curlin start to move, it was clear that he was going to win. So I don’t think he’s “declining” at all. Maybe some fans were expecting a huge margin of victory. Why isn’t victory good enough?
September 2nd, 2008 at 10:44 am
Congratulations to the “Mighty Curlin”, Robby and the Jackson’s. Not only is Curlin exciting to watch, but he is a handsome Horse as well! I hope Curlin does not go to Japan in December to race. I’d rather see him stay here in America where he is so dearly loved and appreciated. Besides, we already know, Curlin is the World’s Greatest Horse!