Curlin’s owner staying focused on task at hand

For nearly 30 minutes, millionaire vintner Jess Jackson patiently answered questions about where Curlin would run next, whether a match race with Big Brown was in the offing and if there was any way to see the 2007 Horse of the Year run as a 5-year-old.

Every now and then, Jackson, Curlin’s majority owner, had to

interrupt the national teleconference to speak about the task at hand.

Fresh off a workmanlike victory in the Woodward Stakes at Saratoga Race Course on

Aug. 30, Curlin takes aim at history in today’s Grade I $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup.

The 11⁄4-mile Jockey Club is one of six Grade I stakes at Belmont Park, carded as the 10th of 11 races with a scheduled post time of 5:52 p.m. It will be televised live by ESPN News, TVG and HRTV.

“I hate to repeat the same mantra, but right now, it’s one race at a time,” Jackson said. “We’re totally focused on the Jockey Gold Cup. It’s a good field, and after we get him out of there and he tells us he’s fit and ready, we’ll consider all options, including the Breeders’ Cup.

“I truly believe he’s a champion. He’s already proven he is one of the best in the last half-century, if not the last century. That’s an owner’s selfish view of the horse he loves.”

A victory in the Jockey Club would push Curlin past Cigar as North America’s richest career thoroughbred, and first to top

$10 million in earnings. He stands at $9,796,800 in 14 lifetime starts, second to Cigar’s $9,999,815.

A 4-year-old son of Smart Strike, Curlin can join Mad Hatter (1921-22), Dark Secret (1933-34), Nashua (1955-56), Kelso (1960-64), the mare Shuvee (1970-71), Slew o’ Gold (1983-84), Creme Fraiche (1986-87), and Skip Away (1996-97) as the only back-to-back winners of the race. Firethorn won it in 1935 and 1937.

“It’s not really about the money,” Jackson said. “Cigar left an indelible memory as a competitor in every race he ran. Beating his financial record is a very big part of Curlin’s legacy, but only because people in our society are more focused on dollars than they should be.

“The fact is, Curlin, on his own merit, is a great horse, and to be compared to a Cigar or Secretariat or any other great horse is a great honor for Curlin. We’re very excited that he could beat the record, but I’m more pleased about what he has done.”

Among the horses Curlin will face in the Jockey Club are a pair from trainer Todd Pletcher, Ravel and A.P. Arrow. Though both are seeking their first victory of 2008, each are graded-stakes winners.

Pletcher beat Curlin in 2007 with the filly Rags to Riches in the Belmont Stakes and Any Given Saturday in the Haskell. Breaking from post five, Curlin is the 3-to-5

program favorite for the Jockey Club.

“I would have trouble knocking Curlin’s record at all, ever,” Pletcher said. “I thought he’s been extremely impressive in all of his starts this year. I thought his Dubai World Cup was his most impressive race.

“Maybe he hasn’t destroyed

everyone, you know, in the Woodward like maybe people expected him to. He still, I thought, overcame some adversity, and ran extremely well. So, I think it’d be kind of foolish to be predicting that he is not going to win this Jockey Club Gold Cup.”

Also entered is Mambo in Seattle, trained by Neil Howard, who fell less than a nose shy, running second to Colonel John, in the Travers at Saratoga. He was ridden that day by Curlin’s regular rider, Robby Albarado, who will be replaced today by Edgar Prado.

Also entered are horses from Hall of Fame trainers Allen Jerkens and Nick Zito. Jerkens, known as the Giant Killer, will saddle Merchant Marine, while Zito, who has ended the past two Triple Crown bids, including this year, will send out 7-year-0ld Wanderin Boy.

“You always wonder about a horse like Mambo in Seattle, who is improving considerably,” Jackson said. “Nick Zito always adds five lengths to any horse in any major race. He’s the upset genius in the racing world. He could pull another magic out of his hat. He’s known for doing that.”

Beyond today, Jackson mentioned the BC Classic Oct. 25 on Santa Anita’s new synthetic surface, the Grade II $500,000 Clark Handicap Nov. 28 at Churchill Downs, and the Japan Cup at Hanshin Racecourse at the end of November as possible return spots for Curlin.

Being run on an artificial and untested track is the main reason Curlin’s camp won’t commit to the Classic, which is where Derby, Preakness and Haskell winner Big Brown is headed. If they don’t meet there, Jackson dismissed the idea of a match race proposed by Big Brown’s people.

“It doesn’t prove anything,” he said. “I’ve always said no match race. I think it’s bad for the sport. When you have a full field and you overcome adversity and racing against 10 to 14 horses, that’s a true test for a champion.”

As for racing beyond this year, Jackson opened the door by the smallest crack.

“If Big Brown would run as a 4-year-old, I’d be very tempted to run Curlin as a 5-year-old,” he said. “Other people should step up, as well.”

WEEKEND STAKES

In addition to the Jockey Club, Belmont has four other Grade I stakes today: the $400,000 Vosburgh for sprinters, the $600,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic and Flower Bowl for grass males and females, respectively, and the $600,000 Beldame for fillies 3 and up on dirt.

Bruce Levine, who trains undefeated Bustin Stones for owner-breeder Roddy Valente, opted to skip the Vosburgh and train up to the Breeders’ Cup Sprint. That leaves a talented field of seven, including Saratoga stakes winners First Defence, Kodiak Kowboy and J Be K, as well as 2-1 program favorite Lucky Island, subbing for stablemate Abraaj.

Ginger Punch looks to extend her win streak to five straight in the Beldame, against four rivals.

Mauralakana, a five-time stakes winner in 2008, headlines the Flower Bowl, which will do without Hostess if the turf comes up soft. Grand Couturier and Summer Patriot, coming off impressive Saratoga wins, and Proudinsky, wheeled back two weeks after losing to Big Brown in the Monmouth Stakes, are entered in the Turf Classic.

Santa Anita, which hosts the Breeders’ Cup next month on its newly installed Pro-Ride synthetic surface, serves up six Grade I stakes today, led by the $400,000 Goodwood, a prep for the BC Classic. Defending champion Tiago heads a wide-open Goodwood, which includes Well Armed and a pair of 3-year-olds, Tres Borrachos and Slew’s Tiznow.

Zenyatta, unbeaten in seven starts, goes after No. 8 in the $250,000 Lady’s Secret against Hystericalady, who has won three straight Grade II’s by nearly 20 lengths.

Wait a While, 2-for-2 on the SA turf, looms as the horse to beat in the $400,000 Yellow Ribbon. Del Mar Handicap winner Spring House takes aim at the $250,000 Clement Hirsch, also on grass. Defending champ Idiot Proof and Street Boss, a winner of five straight, knock heads in the $250,000 Ancient Title for sprinters. Del Mar Debutante winner Stardom Bound goes after her second Grade I victory in the Oak Leaf for juvenile fillies.

Turfway Park in Florence, Ky., hosts its signature Kentucky Cup Day of Champions today, led by the Grade II $350,000 Classic featuring millionaire Zanjero and Honest Man, winner of the Grade II Iselin at Monmouth Park in his previous start.

Proud Jefe, whose first career loss came in the Saratoga Special, looks to rebound in the Grade III $100,000 KC Juvenile. Eaton’s Gift and Fatal Bullet share topweight of 122 pounds in the Grade II $100,000 KC Sprint. Seven will go to the gate in the Grade III $100,000 KC Distaff, including multiple stakes winner Maren’s Meadow and Canadian invader Bear Now.

Fairbanks, a decisive gate-to-wire winner of the Duke of

Magenta at Saratoga Aug. 9, leads seven older horses in the Grade II $500,000 Hawthorne Gold Cup at Hawthorne Park. Also on the card is the Grade III Robert Carey

Memorial on grass.

Golden Gate Fields will have the Grade III $200,000 All American Breeders’ Cup Handicap for 3-year-olds and up today. Awesome Gem, third in last year’s BC Classic, and BC Marathon-bound Delightful Kiss, the only horse in the barn of Florida-based trainer Pete Anderson, are entered.

Grade I winner Midshipman, graded winners Azul Leon and

Silent Valor, and Regal Ransom, a Saratoga debut winner last month, will square off in Sunday’s Grade I $250,000 Norfolk for 2-year-olds at Santa Anita. Sharing the card is the Grade II $200,000 Oak Tree Mile on turf.

Three stakes were scheduled on the grass Sunday at Belmont Park. However, in the wake of heavy rains Friday, NYRA has decided to run the Kelso, if at all possible. The other two turf stakes, the Pilgrim and Miss Grillo, have been moved to Wednesday.

FIRES GOES OUT

Hall of Fame jockey Earlie Fires retired from riding this week at the age of 61.

Fires ranked ninth all-time with 6,470 victories in a 43-year career, including a meet-record 2,886 at Arlington Park in suburban Chicago.

“I wanted to retire on my terms. I don’t have any regrets,” Fires said. “I will miss the Illinois people,

especially at Arlington Park. I’m

going to travel, but I’ll still be around to visit.”

A leading rider at Arlington, Hialeah, Gulfstream, Calder, Churchill Downs, Keeneland and Miles Park, Fires’ horses earned purses of $86,392,277. He won the George Woolf Memorial Award in 1991 and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2001.

REMEMBERING PARKER

A fund has been established for the children of exercise rider Parker Buckley, who died Aug. 19, the day after falling from his horse at the Oklahoma training track.

Buckley, who was 40, had a daughter, Brett, and son, Cameron. A former jockey, Buckley had worked the past 11⁄2 years for trainer Steve Asmussen.

Donations can be made by check to the Brett and Cameron Education Trust at Premier Community Bank, 32 NW Beal Parkway, Fort Walton Beach, Fla. 32548.

AROUND THE TRACKS

u Jockey Matthew Straight of East Greenbush has three mounts on today’s Kentucky Cup card at Turfway, riding maidens in the second, fourth and fifth races. Entering Friday, Straight had five wins, two seconds and four thirds in 39 starts for purses of $53,810.

u Multiple Grade II winner King of the Roxy, part-owned by Albany’s Don Gallagher through Team Valor International, was retired this week with a defect at the base of his cannon bone. He won or placed in six of 12 starts and earned $536,734.

u Citing criticism from the death of ill-fated filly Eight Belles, tampering incidents at his barn and personnel problems on the backstretch, trainer Larry Jones said he plans to retire following the Breeders’ Cup. Jones ran second in the Kentucky Derby in 2008 with Eight Belles and 2007 with Hard Spun.

u A total of 5,709 horses have been cataloged for Keeneland’s

November breeding stock sale, a world thoroughbred auction record. The sale runs daily from Nov. 3-17.

u IEAH Stable, majority owner of Big Brown, will donate to charity a percentage of the winnings of all its starters in the 25th Breeders’ Cup Oct. 24-25 at Santa Anita. IEAH is hoping to run as many as five

horses, including Big Brown (Classic), Kip Deville (Mile) and Pure Clan (Filly & Mare Turf).

u Grade I winner Perfect Drift, a 9-year-old gelding who won or placed in 26 stakes over 50 lifetime starts, was retired last week. He earned $5,714,213 for Dr. William Reed’s Stonecrest Farm.

u A multi-city legends tour featuring retired Hall of Fame riders Pat Day, Angel Cordero and Laffit Pincay — who were first, second and third, respectively, in the inaugural BC Classic at Hollywood Park in 1984, kicks off in Boston Oct. 1. The tour ends

Oct. 18 at Santa Anita, when Day and Cordero join other retired Hall of Famers Jerry Bailey, Sandy Hawley, Julie Krone, Chris McCarron, Gary Stevens and Jacinto Vasquez for a Living Legends race.