Curlin Wins $3.6 Million Share of Dubai World Cup $6 Million
'Big Red' in No-Sweat Victory
Louisiana-born jockey Robby Abragado quickly maneuvered the world's top-rated dirt horse, Curlin USA (Smart Strike USA), across the course from the unfavorable outside 12 box, settled him and played a waiting game in the Dubai World Cup (Group 1) on fast dirt, 2000m (10f).
Had they upped the tempo in the close, Curlin would have beaten Dubai Millennium's (Seeking the Gold USA) track record of 1:59:50 (he came in at 2:00:15 with almost no effort to win by 7-3/4 lengths). Abragado did enough to win saying that, no matter how many times he has ridden Curlin, he has "never tired him out."
To say that it almost seemed a prep race would be insulting to the other horses who ran at their best: Asiatic Boy Arg (Not for Sale Arg), Well Armed USA (Tiznow USA), and A P Arrow USA (A P Indy USA) who placed second through fourth respectively.
Jalil USA (Storm Cat USA) looked so young and bewildered in the Walking Area and could do no better than 7th.
Sweat poured off the experienced Vermilion Jpn (El Condor Pasa USA) in the same area; he was last in the race.
So much for two who not only did excellent track work, but were deserved third and fourth favourites on form.
The race was dominated by the most experienced US and South African-trained horses. The second, Asiatic Boy, was trained by South Africa's Mike de Kock as was Lucky Find SAf (Rich Man's Gold USA) who came in 6th.
Doug O'Neill trained the 5th, Great Hunter USA (Aptitude USA), ridden by Garrett Gomez.
Johnny Murtagh who rode the second, Asiatic Boy, the day before starting his new job as Ballydoyle/Coolmore's official jockey replacing the banned Kieren Fallon said, "The winner is a monster."
General consensus was that there is NO dirt horse racing today who can beat Curlin. He is only four, progressive and his connections intend to keep him racing as long as he is well. His total winnings to date are US$8.8 million.
Curlin, named after a black slave Charles Curlin from Kentucky who fought for the Union in the American Civil War, ended last year's season with an official World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings of 129 and has been awarded 130 after the DWC.
Trainer Steve Asmussen (42-years old), accompanied by his Texas family, said "He's spoiled us with his consistency and brilliance. Pre-race the horse was in great shape and he stepped from the stalls and just spoiled us again. Since his Breeders' Cup Classic win, he's shown us that he can do things quicker and I think he's proved that again tonight."
Curlin's majority owner and self-made billionaire, Jess Jackson, chose the Dubai Word Cup--which he described as "a showcase for durability and distance" in a Al Adiyat magazine article--as Curlin's first target for 2008 partly based on the UAE's zero tolerance of racing horses on medication.
"We (the US and world) shouldn't tolerate anything."
"Sheikh Mohammed and the Maktoum family have been extremely supportive of breeding and racing in America, and this was a personal way to thank him."
It was a privilege to see this great horse work out, watch him walk round the saddling area in calm confident lockstep with proud assistant Scott Blasi and Steve Asmussen, observe other horses freaking out in his presence, meet his trusty work rider Carlos Rosas and sidekick Poncho waiting to accompany him to and from victory, and run at his heels as he cut through the adoring Arab crowd en route to the racecourse.
To Saturday's racegoers, he was a magical hero--talent without limit and without peer. They just wanted to see him, touch him, revere him, be in his presence. Even his connections seemed dazed and awed by what they have.
'Big Red'.
(copyright Z/Keeneland Association)
Louisiana-born jockey Robby Abragado quickly maneuvered the world's top-rated dirt horse, Curlin USA (Smart Strike USA), across the course from the unfavorable outside 12 box, settled him and played a waiting game in the Dubai World Cup (Group 1) on fast dirt, 2000m (10f).
Had they upped the tempo in the close, Curlin would have beaten Dubai Millennium's (Seeking the Gold USA) track record of 1:59:50 (he came in at 2:00:15 with almost no effort to win by 7-3/4 lengths). Abragado did enough to win saying that, no matter how many times he has ridden Curlin, he has "never tired him out."
To say that it almost seemed a prep race would be insulting to the other horses who ran at their best: Asiatic Boy Arg (Not for Sale Arg), Well Armed USA (Tiznow USA), and A P Arrow USA (A P Indy USA) who placed second through fourth respectively.
Jalil USA (Storm Cat USA) looked so young and bewildered in the Walking Area and could do no better than 7th.
Sweat poured off the experienced Vermilion Jpn (El Condor Pasa USA) in the same area; he was last in the race.
So much for two who not only did excellent track work, but were deserved third and fourth favourites on form.
The race was dominated by the most experienced US and South African-trained horses. The second, Asiatic Boy, was trained by South Africa's Mike de Kock as was Lucky Find SAf (Rich Man's Gold USA) who came in 6th.
Doug O'Neill trained the 5th, Great Hunter USA (Aptitude USA), ridden by Garrett Gomez.
Johnny Murtagh who rode the second, Asiatic Boy, the day before starting his new job as Ballydoyle/Coolmore's official jockey replacing the banned Kieren Fallon said, "The winner is a monster."
General consensus was that there is NO dirt horse racing today who can beat Curlin. He is only four, progressive and his connections intend to keep him racing as long as he is well. His total winnings to date are US$8.8 million.
Curlin, named after a black slave Charles Curlin from Kentucky who fought for the Union in the American Civil War, ended last year's season with an official World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings of 129 and has been awarded 130 after the DWC.
Trainer Steve Asmussen (42-years old), accompanied by his Texas family, said "He's spoiled us with his consistency and brilliance. Pre-race the horse was in great shape and he stepped from the stalls and just spoiled us again. Since his Breeders' Cup Classic win, he's shown us that he can do things quicker and I think he's proved that again tonight."
Curlin's majority owner and self-made billionaire, Jess Jackson, chose the Dubai Word Cup--which he described as "a showcase for durability and distance" in a Al Adiyat magazine article--as Curlin's first target for 2008 partly based on the UAE's zero tolerance of racing horses on medication.
"We (the US and world) shouldn't tolerate anything."
"Sheikh Mohammed and the Maktoum family have been extremely supportive of breeding and racing in America, and this was a personal way to thank him."
It was a privilege to see this great horse work out, watch him walk round the saddling area in calm confident lockstep with proud assistant Scott Blasi and Steve Asmussen, observe other horses freaking out in his presence, meet his trusty work rider Carlos Rosas and sidekick Poncho waiting to accompany him to and from victory, and run at his heels as he cut through the adoring Arab crowd en route to the racecourse.
To Saturday's racegoers, he was a magical hero--talent without limit and without peer. They just wanted to see him, touch him, revere him, be in his presence. Even his connections seemed dazed and awed by what they have.
'Big Red'.
what a great job, very fantastic .....
Thank you. See recent posting in Meydan 2010.
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