Curlin caps season in Classic style
OCEANPORT, N.J. – Curlin has now beaten the Kentucky Derby winner twice, the leading older horse twice and avenged his most recent defeat.
With one emphatic victory against his toughest rivals in the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic, Curlin likely ran away with Horse of the Year honors in a sensational championship season.
“He showed he’s a true champion,” Curlin jockey Robby Albarado said. “He’s an amazing horse.”
Derby winner Street Sense tried to catch Curlin with one of jockey Calvin Borel’s patented rail-skimming rides, but was unable to make up ground Saturday in the stretch over a sloppy track at Monmouth Park. Curlin defeated Derby runner-up Hard Spun by 4 1/2 lengths.
“Curlin is the genuine article,” Borel said after Street Sense finished fourth in the final race of his career. “I just couldn’t go with him.”
Curlin, who edged Street Sense in the Preakness, moved into contention around the final turn and swept past Hard Spun and Lawyer Ron before a cheering crowd of 41,781 that had endured a rain deluge most of the day.
“He’s a big-day horse,” winning trainer Steve Asmussen said. “He settled calmly and waited for what was going to happen.”
In a meteoric rise to stardom, Curlin not only defeated Lawyer Ron again – he beat him in the Jockey Club Gold Cup last month – but also beat Haskell Invitational winner Any Given Saturday and his other 3-year-old rivals Hard Spun and Tiago.
Curlin’s record speaks for itself: six wins, a narrow loss to the filly Rags to Riches in the Belmont Stakes and two thirds in nine races for earnings of $5.1 million.
The race – the final one in the first two-day, 11-race, $23 million Breeders’ Cup – was marred in the final yards when European star George Washington broke down and was euthanized on the track. While Curlin and Albarado were crossing the finish line, George Washington was in distress after shattering his right front leg.
Jockey Mick Kinane was uninjured and held the reins as help moved in.
A screen was brought out on the track to prevent fans from watching, and the 4-year-old colt was put down at the request of trainer Aidan O’Brien.
“He had a fracture in his ankle and dislocated his ankle. That’s a hopeless injury,” said Larry Bramlage, the track’s on-call veterinarian. “The trainer requested that he immediately be euthanized.”
Awesome Gem, a 28-1 long shot, was third, followed by Street Sense, Tiago, Any Given Saturday, Lawyer Ron and Diamond Stripes.
Curlin, a son of Smart Strike, covered the 1 1/4 miles in a fast 2:00.59 over a sloppy track and returned $10.80, $5.20 and $4.20. The track record is 2:00 2/5 set in 1962 by Carry Back.
In other races, Indian Blessing ($5.40) went wire to wire for a 3 1/2 -length win over Proud Spell in the $2 million Juvenile Fillies. Emerald Downs-based Smarty Deb was fifth.
Undefeated War Pass ($6.40) led all the way and beat Pyro by 4 1/2 lengths in the $2 million Juvenile.
Lahudood ($25.40) didn’t mind the soft turf course and dug in for a three-quarter length victory over Honey Ryder in the $2 million Filly & Mare Turf.
Kip Deville ($18.40) gave trainer Richard Dutrow Jr. his third career Breeders’ Cup win in the $2 million Mile.
Ginger Punch ($11) gave trainer Bobby Frankel a lift with her stirring neck victory over Hystericalady in the $2 million Distaff.
English Channel gave trainer Todd Pletcher a much-need victory, pulling away from the field for a seven-length win over Shamdinan in the $3 million Turf.