SARATOGA SPRINGS — Retired jockey Angel Cordero Jr. won the Woodward six times in his Hall of Fame career, including a record five straight from 1981-85.

Seattle Slew. Pleasant Colony. Island Whirl. Slew o’ Gold twice. Track Barron.

“I had the pleasure to win the Woodward five years in a row. It takes a good horse to win it,” Cordero said during Thursday’s post-position draw. “It’s always been a good race, and it’s always won by a good horse. I’d say this year will probably be the same.

“No doubt about it. Not only is Curlin the best horse going in the race, he’s probably one of the best horses I’ve seen in the last 15 years.”

The 2007 Horse of the Year, Curlin makes his return to the track in his Saratoga Race Course debut, headlining Saturday’s Grade I Woodward.

It is the 55th edition of the

11⁄8-mile race, and the third since being moved from Belmont Park in 2006. Carded as the 10th of 11 races with a post time of 5:45 p.m., it will be televised live on MSG from 5:30 to 6 p.m.

Trained by Steve Asmussen for majority owner Jess Jackson of Stonestreet Stable, Curlin drew post five and was made the 3-5 program favorite in a surprisingly large eight-horse field.

“I wasn’t expecting eight when I came here this morning, so I had to do some last-minute adjustments,” New York Racing Association linemaker Eric Donovan said. “It didn’t really change anyone’s odds too drastically. With a five- or six-horse field, Curlin was probably

going to be more like 1-to-2, but with seven or eight, 3-to-5 seemed more appropriate.

“He’s a horse that everyone’s

going to be looking for and everyone’s going to be watching for the whole day. I think he’s going to be a short price. I don’t think he’s a cinch in the race. There’s some nice horses in there, but he’s the horse everyone’s rooting for, and the horse everyone knows.”

A 4-year-old son of Smart Strike, Curlin has nine wins, two seconds and two thirds for purses of $9,496,800 in 13 lifetime starts, as he closes in on Cigar’s all-time record of $9,999,815.

The winner’s purse from the Woodward is $300,000, which would push Curlin past Skip Away’s $9,616,360 for second place on the list.

Also entered on Thursday were multiple stakes winners Divine Park, the 3-1 second choice, and Wanderin Boy, third at 8-1. Divine Park will break next to Curlin in post four, while front-running Wanderin Boy drew outside post eight.

“I thought it worked out well for us. At five of eight, I think it’s a good draw,” said Scott Blasi, assistant to trainer Steve Asmussen, who is expected back in town this morning. “We’ve got Divine Park to our inside and Wanderin Boy to the outside. I think it worked out well.”

Curlin is 3-for-4 this year, winning the $6 million Dubai World Cup in March and the Grade I Stephen Foster in his North American return. He has had six works at Saratoga leading up to the Woodward, and schooled twice in the paddock, including Thursday afternoon.

“This horse is different in a lot of ways,” Blasi said. “In Dubai, he laid closer to the pace when we needed him to, if it’s not fast enough. I think there are horses in here with more turn of foot away from there than him, but hopefully, he’ll put himself in a good position in the first turn, and the rest will take care of itself.

“It’s no walkover. Divine Park is 6-for-8, and his two losses were definitely excuses. Wanderin Boy, if he gets loose on the lead, anything can happen. We’ve just got to take care of our bus­iness and hopefully it works out.”

Divine Park has won three straight races for meet-leading trainer Kiaran McLaughlin, including the Grade I Met Mile in his most recent start May 26 at Belmont.

Wanderin Boy returned from a 21⁄2-month layoff to romp in a seven-furlong allowance at Saratoga on July 28. Last summer, he ran seventh of eight in the Woodward, after finishing second in the Whitney.

Trainer Ken McPeek turned down an overnight stake at Monmouth Park with Loose Leaf to face Curlin, a horse he bought for $57,000 as a yearling at Keeneland September in 2005.

Loose Leaf is 2-for-3 at Saratoga, winning the $82,000 Lemon Drop Kid last summer and an optional claiming allowance on Aug. 13, both at the Woodward distance. He was sixth of seven in the 2007 Travers.

“We’re a Father, Son and Holy Ghost horse,” McPeek said. “It’ll be nice to test Curlin. Loose Leaf’s been a good, solid colt. He’s kind of knocked on the door in some decent races, though he’s not at a level of Curlin.

“I bought Curlin as a yearling, so I’m quite proud of that. It’ll be interesting to see how close Loose Leaf can get to him. It’s all in fun. Like anything, we’re going to make him work for it.”