Curlin Horse

NEW YORK -- Curlin became the first horse in North America to top $10 million in career earnings, winning the $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup on Saturday at sloppy Belmont Park by three-quarters of a length over Wanderin Boy. The $450,000 winner's purse pushed Curlin's career bankroll to $10,246,800. Cigar held the old mark of $9,999,815, which stood for 12 years. "I'm sure this record will be broken someday, but it will take a hell of a horse to do it," jockey Robby Albarado said.

Hold your horses, folks. Curlin versus Big Brown isn't going to happen. Monday was supposed to bring news and drama in horse racing. Little did we know. On a day when the final hurdle seemed to be cleared for the long-awaited showdown here, there was an unexpected stumble in an unexpected place.

Comparing his star horse to athletes such as Magic Johnson and Lance Armstrong, Jess Jackson on Tuesday committed Curlin to run in the $5-million Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita a week from Saturday. The majority owner of the biggest money-winning horse ever in North America said his decision to go after a second straight Classic title was simple, once he and trainer Steve Asmussen determined Santa Anita's synthetic race surface was safe and competitive.

There is little left to say about Curlin and today's Breeders' Cup Classic. He is the rock star and this is his stage. Attendance at Santa Anita's picturesque race track could reach as high as 45,000, and lots of those will be Curlin groupies. They stretched this year's Breeders' Cup to two days, 14 races and $25.5 million in purses. But all of that will take a back seat to the grand finale. At about 3:45 p.m.

Saturday's Breeders' Cup Classic ended with Bo Derek watching at the finish line and Curlin showing that he is no longer a perfect 10 either. In a horse race as anticipated as any in years, Curlin did not win the $5-million Classic, did not live up to the superlatives. In a two-year, 15-race career that had made him one of the most famous and beloved thoroughbreds ever and brought more than $10 million in winnings, Curlin had never finished out of the money. But shortly before 4 p.m.

Local fans hoping for a first-hand look at the best thoroughbred in the world are not likely to get their wish. Curlin, the reigning horse of the year and defending Breeders' Cup Classic winner, is not expected to participate in the 2008 Classic on Oct. 25 at Santa Anita. After the 4-year-old easily won the $1-million Stephen Foster Handicap on Saturday at Churchill Downs, trainer Steve Asmussen said he would work Curlin toward a turf race on July 12 or 13. The possibilities are the $500,000 Man O'War at 1 3/8 miles at Belmont Park and the $200,000 Arlington Handicap at 1 1/4 miles at Arlington Park in Illinois.