JACKSON COUNTERS COUNTER WITH JC GOLD CUP
Jess Jackson, majority owner of Horse of the Year Curlin, now wants the owners of Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Big Brown to consider taking Curlin on in the Jockey Club Gold Cup Sept. 27 at Belmont Park. On Wednesday morning, Jackson challenged the owners to run Big Brown in the Aug. 30 Woodward Stakes at Saratoga, where Curlin will race next, but Michael Iavarone of IEAH Stables said the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita Oct. 24 is where the championship should be decided.
Jackson issued the following statement late Wednesday afternoon:
“I am delighted that we are talking about Curlin on the day that Michael Phelps became the most decorated Olympian ever. Great athletes deserve great company. This is what sports is about — the thrill of competition. And it is my belief that Thoroughbred racing is indeed the greatest sport of all time.
“I made a sportsman’s proposal to Big Brown’s connections this morning to race at Saratoga Race Course in the Grade 1 Woodward on August 30, and they declined the invitation. I am disappointed by the news. I read this morning that Big Brown might be looking for a turf race at Belmont Park, so apparently, his connections are looking at other options this fall.
“I would ask Big Brown’s camp to consider the prestigious Grade 1, $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup Invitational at Belmont Park on September 27 as an option. It’s a prestigious, prized race on a natural dirt surface at one of the great tracks in the world. Big Brown is a champion Thoroughbred and, most certainly, would be prepared to race at the end of September. Perhaps we could work together to get the Breeder’s Cup to add an incentive to the purse so that a specific charity would get a bigger slice of the pie.
“This has long been a part of my platform for this industry - bigger purses.
"Another part of my personal platform is to make charitable contributions. When Barbara and I bought Curlin, we immediately established the Jackson Curlin for Kids Fund whose purpose is to make a difference in the lives of children where Curlin runs or trains. In February of this year, we donated $1 million to The Woods Laboratory for equine and human cancer and infertility research. Plus we give millions to more than 600 charities every year because we believe it is the right thing to do. We also are aware of IEAH’s involvement with charitable causes, including the current construction of the Ruffian Equine Medical Center across from Belmont Park. We seem to have two great horses and a common purpose. Why not get them together?
"As to the Breeder’s Cup, it is not part of my current plan for Curlin. I felt it was the sporting thing to do to announce Curlin’s schedule to give fair notice to anyone looking to compete against the reigning Horse of the Year this fall.
"Our plan is to focus on the Woodward, look to the Jockey Cup Gold Cup, hopefully with Big Brown in the field, and review our plans after that.
"Ultimately, all of us have to do what is in the best interest of our horse. I wish Big Brown well and hope Curlin has the opportunity to compete against him. It certainly would help the industry and please the fans of both of these majestic horses."
Copyright © 2008, The Paulick Report
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Tags: Big Brown, Breeders' Cup, Curlin, Horse Racing, IEAH stable, jess jackson, jockey club gold cup, Michael Iavarone, ray paulick paulick report, woodward stakes
August 14th, 2008 at 10:34 am
This is getting silly. Why are TB owners/trainers so scared to lose? It did not use to be this way. I guess the breeding industry has turned the racing into this?
August 14th, 2008 at 12:26 pm
I don’t know why Iavarone would get worked up about Jess Jackson making this suggestion and putting forth a charity to benefit from it.
So the Woodward comes up too soon to race for BB, ok we get it. He’s still tuckered out from beating a mediocre field in the Haskell. I won’t even rub in the fact that Hard Spun had 10 starts at 3-yrs old including 2nd in the G1 Haskell and 20-days later winning the G1 Kings Bishop.
Skipping the JCGP in late September makes no sense. If BB goes to the MassCap instead then I do hope Curlin’s connection will race there too.
It was only a year ago that a sporting match up of Street Sense and Hard Spun ran pre-BCC in the Kentucky Cup Classic Stakes on Sep 27th at Turfway. No dodging, no looking for an easy victory, just good old racing with two great trainers and two solid horses who both were in contention for 3-yr HOY.
August 14th, 2008 at 9:43 pm
Just after reading this article, I followed a link in the Paulick Report to a blog called “Breeders’ Cup Chat†written by Jason Shandler who appeared to be trying to shame Jess Jackson into running in the BC Classic in his piece, “No More Challenges Jess, Just Show Up.â€
While Mr. Shandler occasionally mixes it up a little with his audience, he apparently chooses his spots very carefully; and is enabled in that regard by the Blood-Horse Blog Stable comment policy which is not as open as that of the Paulick Report.
I should have realized that a blog with that name — and with an entry so antagonistic toward Jackson — would be very Pro-BC, but I had no idea it would be so overly-protective and defensive. When Mr. Shandler declined to post my comment — much less respond to it — I decided to try and find out what kind of reaction a more challenging readership might have. The capitalized quotes are the remarks of Mr. Shandler’s to which I took exception and offered a following rebuttal.
‘“BOTTOM LINE: HORSE OF THE YEAR CHAMPIONSHIPS IN THIS DAY AND AGE ARE DECIDED IN THE BREEDERS’ CUP CLASSIC. HAVING THE RACE ON A SYNTHETIC SURFACE IS NOT IDEAL FOR EVERYONE, ESPECIALLY SINCE SANTA ANITA’S WILL BE BRAND NEW, BUT IT IS WHAT IT IS. IT WOULD BE THE FIRST RACE ON THE SURFACE FOR BOTH HORSES, SO NEITHER WOULD HAVE AN ADVANTAGE. SYNTHETICS ARE HERE TO STAY AND JACKSON NEEDS TO REALIZE THIS AND EMBRACE IT.â€
Most fans would love to see a Curlin-Big Brown matchup, but how many of them would prefer to see that take place on synthetic rather than dirt? Do we really want to see an unfamiliar surface compromise either of their chances when each will need to bring his best game? We need only look at Street Sense’s campaign to understand how less than ideal the circumstances you advocate are likely to be.
“I’M TIRED OF ALL THE COMPLAINING ABOUT SYNTHETICS. DEAL WITH IT. IT’S NOT GOING AWAY.â€
Indeed, synthetics are not going away. Horses like Heatseeker have assured their continued existence, but not their expansion. They certainly have a place in addition to dirt and turf, but not as a replacement for properly maintained dirt tracks … yet.
“… HE [JACKSON] NEEDS TO REALIZE THAT THE BREEDERS’ CUP IS THE INTERNATIONAL SHOWCASE. IT IS RACING’S BIGGEST STAGE AND HAS BEEN FOR A QUARTER OF A CENTURY. IT IS THE MOST LOGICAL PLACE FOR THE TWO STARS TO MEET.â€
Jackson did not make many new friends among horseplayers with his Congressional hearing testimony, but he should if he sticks to his guns and doesn’t allow Curlin to be used as a tool to advance the Breeder’s Cup agenda and help minimize their mistakes. It is hardly the most logical place for the two to meet this year. The Clark Handicap at Churchill Downs would be a proven and neutral venue for both contestants, and time would only enhance BB’s chances against his older rival.
“THE SURFACE WILL BE SAFE. GET OVER YOUR AVERSION TO SYNTHETICS AND SHOW UP IN CALIFORNIA. EVERYONE WANTS TO SEE IT.â€
These words are more likely to be correct in 2009. It would certainly benefit racing if both horses were to return with the objective to prove themselves as potential sires of synthetically-suited progeny; and give their trainers an opportunity to prepare them to be at their best on such surfaces when they finally compete on them.’
August 15th, 2008 at 8:28 am
So your point about dirt/synthetic - what if it pours down rain for the hypothetical BB v Curlin match-up? Nothing is certain; just look at the conditions at the ‘07 BC.
What are the Curlin connections afraid of, everyone knows he’s the better horse (aside from IEAH and RD), right?