by Steve Bailey

Horse of the Year and champion three-year-old male Curlin will spot five challengers 15 pounds each as he makes his 2008 debut in a 2,000-meter (9.94-furlong) handicap race at Nad al Sheba racecourse on Thursday.

The four-year-old Smart Strike colt will carry a career-high 132 pounds—the most of his nine-start career—in the $175,000 Jaguar Trophy for Northern Hemsiphere four-year-olds and Southern Hemisphere three-year-olds.

The race, which is scheduled to go off at about 12:15 p.m. EST, is a prep for the $6-million Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1) at the same distance on March 29.

On Tuesday, Curlin paid his first visit to the Nad Al Sheba starting gate, which is designed differently from the ones used in the United States. However, he walked straight in without any hesitation and stayed totally still in the gates before backing out.

On Saturday, Curlin breezed 800 meters (3.98 furlongs) in :50.50 under regular exercise rider Carmen Rosas.

Of Curlin’s five challengers, all of whom will carry 117 pounds, only one is a past stakes winner. Shiekh Majid bin Mohammed al Maktoum’s Imperialista won last year’s Invasor Al Maktoum Challenge Round 1 (UAE-G3) in his first start outside his native Brazil.

The five-year-old Voando Baixo horse is winless in three starts this season with two third-place finishes, the most recent coming in a 1,700-meter (8.45-furlong) race on February 21 at the Dubai track.

Engrupido and Familiar Territory each enter off victories this month at Nad al Sheba.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa al Maktoum’s Engrupido, a five-year-old Potrillon horse that finished second in the 2006 Montevideo (Arg-G1), beat Alpacco by a nose in a 2,000-meter conditions race on February 22.

Familiar Territory, a five-year-old Cape Cross (Ire) horse, won a 2,000-meter handicap race carrying 131 pounds by 3 1/4 lengths on February 14 for trainer Saeed bin Suroor and owner Sheikh Saeed bin Mohammed al Maktoum.

  Rounding out the field are previous Nad al Sheba winner Jet Express and Arqaam.

Steve Bailey is deputy news editor for Thoroughbred Times