- Considering that Jess Jackson has presumably sacrificed a considerable sum of potential stallion money by bringing Curlin back, I guess we can't really criticize him for deciding to race him for the big bucks in Dubai (preceded by a prep there on Feb 4). But please Mr. Jackson, don't tell us: "We feel the best thing to do for Curlin is to take him to Dubai and point him to the (Dubai) World Cup." That's just not supported by the evidence, nor by the experience of, not all, but a good number of the horses that have been shipped to race there. And even if that's beside the point, I can't think of anything about shipping him halfway around the world that is the "best thing to do" for the horse (unless Curlin has a hankering to meet Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.) Just tell us that it's because of the money. We'll understand.
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Monday, February 04, 2008
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9 Comments:
We lose another horse to the black hole of Dubai. So after the World Cup in the End of March, when will he be able to race again? June? July?
Figure Whitney, JCGC, Breeders Cup, IF he returns in one piece.
Would love to see him try the turf, say in Arlington Million, but that would be way too much to ask.
Will all the steroids be out of his system before he gets there? And how long does he need to get pumped again for a summer campaign here?
Thankfully, we get to see a real serious racehorse in the DWC.
It would be something to see a winner of the BCC go and win the DWC. Mr Jackson and the other shareholders would receive a slight bump in a stud fee that must already be slotted at $100k+ in addition to approximately $3.5m in purse money.
Spring at Last is nominated as well....
posted by "Cayman Islands on the sidelines".
Dittos Michael's key question on Curlin returning sound from the black hole of Dubai. Hope he can make the Whitney at the Spa and draw 40,000 plus, like the good old days pre-VLT and owners BC micromanagement. I'll never forget my excitement when I read a little news box in The Times sports section (back when I still read the Times and it covered racing)in August 2001 reporting that Point Given, then headquartered at Del Mar, was shipping east for The Travers, providing a "burst of starshine for the Spa's signature fixture". Curlin could also get a lot of fans hearts beating faster as he seems to have that much needed star power. /S/Green Mtn Punter
It is difficult for me to criticize Jess Jackson's decision to run Curlin in the Dubai World Cup. Between now and one month after the Dubai there is a grand total of five Grade I races for older horses, three of which are on turf. The two remaining races are: the Santa Anita Handicap (10 furlongs) at Santa Anita and the Carter Handicap (7 furlongs) at Aqueduct. Given Aqueduct's rather speculative continuance, it really limits the races to the Dubai and the Santa Anita Handicap. All things considered, the Dubai makes sense.
To echo Alan - the reason for selecting the Dubai World Cup is irrelevant. We should all be pleased that Mr. Jackson is running the horse. Period.
As others have said, we should be happy we will see him run again instead of in the breeding shed. I think Jess Jackson is out to prove that Curlin is the best race horse in the world. There is no one left to beat in the USA.
Lets keep in mind that Curlin is going to first race in a semi-minor $175k race at the end of Feb first.
*If* he returns to form after shipping over there, with the heat, et al then we'll know if he's ready for the World Cup.
Up against Premium Tap who is well adjusted to those temps I think folks might be in for a shock in the DWC.
Invasor was undefeated before and after his first Dubai trip and I think he was better horse.
Spare us the declarations about how American racing needs heroes while you're shipping the horse to Dubai, Jess.
You don't need the money. If you're sincere, put him on tour and run him at Santa Anita, Oaklawn, Belmont, Arlington, Suffolk Downs and the Breeders' Cup -- the same way Allen Paulson and Bill Mott did with Cigar.
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