THE END…CURLIN TO RETIRE
Curlin will be retired to stud in 2009 to a yet-to-be-determined farm and his racing career is over unless “an appropriate venue and purse are offered" for one more race in 2008, the reigning Horse of the Year’s majority owner Jess Jackson said.
In a press release distributed late Saturday night, Jackson said offers from various stallion farms will be considered but that the son of Smart Strike out of Sheriff’s Deputy, by Deputy Minister, could end up at Jackson’s Stonestreet Farms, which currently does not stand any stallions.
All inquiries for breeding seasons to Curlin for qualified mares should be directed to Stonestreet Farms director Lesley Howard (e-mail address Lesley.Howard@stonestreetfarms.com, or by calling 859 244-2306).
Still unresolved is a 20% ownership interest in Curlin that has been tied up in a legal case involving his original owners, William Gallion and Shirley Cunningham of Midnight Cry Stable, who sold 80% of Curlin to Jackson, Satish Sanan and George Bolton after the colt won his maiden race. Jackson later bought out the interests of Sanan and Bolton, but the Midnight Cry portion was put under the control of a court-appointed receiver last year after Gallion, Cunningham and another attorney were slapped with a $42-million judgment for their handling of a diet drug class-action lawsuit.
Curlin, the richest North American-trained horse in history with earnings of $10,501,800, will be kept in training for one more potential race in 2008, though in a report in the New York Times Jackson ruled out a run in the Dec. 7 Japan Cup Dirt because of quarantine complications. He also told the Times he plans to breed at least 20 of his best mares from a total of over 100 that Stonestreet Farms maintains.
“If an appropriate venue and purse are offered, we would consider one more race in 2008 for Curlin,” Jackson said in a statement.
“Curlin has proven himself across two continents with 16 starts, the honor of 2007 Horse of the Year and the greatest North American money-earner in racing history,” he continued. “He always gave it his all and has done everything we have asked of him. I am proud to announce that he will start a new career in 2009 and contribute his soundness, stamina, durability and athleticism to the breed. I am looking forward to seeing his foals compete and possibly exceed his unequaled racing record.”
Curlin’s Accomplishments:
- 2007 Horse of the Year.
- Greatest North American money-earner in racing history with earnings of $10,501,800.00
Major wins:
2007 Preakness Stakes
2007 Jockey Club Gold Cup
2007 Breeders’ Cup Classic
2008 Dubai World Cup
2008 Jockey Club Gold Cup
Race Record:
2007 2008
Gulfstream Park Maiden Race — First
Rebel Stakes — First
Arkansas Derby - First
Kentucky Derby - Third
Preakness Stakes - First
Belmont Stakes - Second
Haskell Invitational - Third
Jockey Club Gold Cup - First
Breeders’ Cup Classic - First
Jaguar Trophy Handicap - First
Dubai World Cup - First
Stephen Foster Handicap - First
Man o’ War Stakes (turf)- Second
Woodward Stakes - First
Jockey Club Gold Cup — First
Breeders’ Cup Classic (synthetic track) — Fourth
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Tags: Curlin, curlin retired, curlin retired to stud, curlin to retire, eclipse award, george bolton, horse of the year, Horse Racing, japan cup dirt, jess jackson, lesley howard, midnight cry, midnight cry stable, Paulick Report, Ray Paulick, richest thoroughbred, satish sanan, sheriff's deputy, shirley cunningham, smart strike, streetstreet farms, william gallion
November 16th, 2008 at 1:45 am
It was fun while it lasted. Any idea what farms might stand him…Darley, Adena?
November 16th, 2008 at 9:05 am
I hope he stays in the United States.
November 16th, 2008 at 12:53 pm
Big deal. Curlin is a good horse who will soon be forgotten like so many other good horses. He never did anything truly extraordinary .
November 16th, 2008 at 3:05 pm
To say that this athlete never did anything extraordinary diminishes and disrespects his and so many other racehorses’ valiant effort. They are just animals, hardworking for sure, and deserving of dignity and respect, for putting on a show for you and giving you something to talk about, if nothing else. Kudos for what they achieve, day in and day out. Curlin, you’re a phenom, well loved, and deserve to retire from racing. You gave your all. And it’s enough.
November 16th, 2008 at 3:34 pm
Lin and STJ…I think Jess Jackson told the NY Times that Curlin would stand at a Kentucky farm. Adena might be a logical spot since Jackson bought a large interest in Ghostzapper from Frank Stronach. As for Darley, I would think that deal would already have been made if it was going to happen.
November 16th, 2008 at 5:04 pm
Easy there Connie. Curlin won some nice races but in relation to other great horses never did anything that extraordinary. He did not repeat as a BC Champion, he did not win on a second surface, he won one of the three TC races he ran in, he never carried any weight except for the prep for the WC, he never defeated another hall of fame worthy horse, etc. He is a really good racehorse who while deserving of respect is certainly not one of the top 50 horses of the last 100 years as some have suggested. The fact that the modern handicap division is a shell of what it once was is hardly Curlins fault but he never distingushed himself as anything other than the best of a historically bad lot.
November 16th, 2008 at 6:35 pm
Good morning Barbaro, you beautiful horse! You would have been a top 50 horse.
November 16th, 2008 at 7:02 pm
Horse hugger,
Barbaro is dead, he can’t wake up. Woulda, coulda, shoulda. His demise was very unfortunate, but he could have had his clock cleaned in the Preakness, then gone on to a lackluster remainder of the year.
Nobody will ever know how he would have done.
This is about Curlin, not Barbaro.
November 17th, 2008 at 9:21 am
no way jose, grow up. leave well enough alone. If this is about Curlin, then you need not even address it and keep your comments to Curlin.
November 17th, 2008 at 9:34 am
MJ, are you the hall monitor here?
If you read back Horse Hugger first brought up Barbaro. I directed it back to Curlin.
Curlin is/was a decent horse, but not a great. He may prove to be great in the shed, but perhaps not. Time will tell. As others here and elsewhere, it’s a good time to retire him as he may very well be on the decline. We are fortunate to have had him (for whatever reason) for 2 seasons.
November 17th, 2008 at 10:58 am
Curlin’s retirement feels like the end of something wonderful. I have followed his career over the past two years and gone to see him run a few times and I will never forget the sight of him coming down the stretch in the mud at Monmouth last year or his dominant win in the Dubai World Cup. His record has not been perfect (neither was Secretariat’s, not that I’m comparing the two), but he is a great horse and he has been very good for racing. I wish the BC had been on dirt this year, so that he could have won it again.
November 17th, 2008 at 11:54 am
I know I won’t ever forget Curlin ….for as long I as I live. I have enjoyed watching him race over the past two years. Curlin did not become the $10 Million Dollar Horse by being lucky or a fluke……Curlin is “The Two Time Winner, Horse of the Year” !! Curlin will be Missed by many of his fans, but hopefully he will retire in Kentucky so we can visit him. Enjoy your new life, “Mighty Curlin” and may God Bless You