NEWS
IEAH not interested in Jackson's challenge
Posted: Wednesday, August 13, 2008 12:46 PM
JESS JACKSON
Benoit & Associates photo
by Jeff Lowe
Jess Jackson has pledged a $50,000 donation to the Belmont Park Child Care Association’s Anna House if the connections of Big Brown accept his invitation to face his reigning Horse of the Year Curlin in the Woodward Stakes (G1) on August 30 at Saratoga Race Course.
Even with the challenge, Big Brown’s connections are not considering the Woodward for the dual classic winner’s next start.
Jackson, Curlin’s majority owner, said the incentive was spurred by remarks from trainer Richard Dutrow Jr. following Big Brown’s victory in the Haskell Invitational Stakes (G1) on August 3. According to the Philadelphia Daily News, Dutrow said Big Brown is “way better than Curlin.”
Jackson announced last week that Curlin would return to dirt in the Woodward after finishing second in the Man o’ War Stakes (G1) on July 12 at Belmont Park in his first start on turf.
“Both horses are eligible for [the Woodward] and both have plenty of time to prepare for what would be Thoroughbred racing at its very best and in the name of a great cause,” Jackson said. “This type of competition between horses is exactly what Thoroughbred racing needs—an event that introduces the excitement and competition of racing to a broader audience. Imagine Horse of the Year Curlin racing against [Kentucky] Derby (G1) winner Big Brown, on a legendary track. I would love it, the fans would love it, and the horses would love it.”
Michael Iavarone of Big Brown’s majority owner, IEAH Stables, said he was disappointed by Jackson’s inclusion of a charity in the challenge.
“I think it’s incredibly disappointing that a man of Jess Jackson’s means needs to bring Big Brown to a race to make a charitable donation,” Iavarone said. “That’s beyond my wildest dreams. He should do that anyway.
“As far as the race itself, we want to give our horse the right time, the right spacing [for his next start]. He had to run his eyeballs out in the Haskell, and the Woodward had never been targeted.”
"I am disappointed by the news," Jackson said in a later statement. "I read this morning that Big Brown might be looking for a turf race at Belmont Park, so apparently his connections are looking at other options this Fall."
Jackson further asked IEAH to consider the $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes (G1) on September 27 at Belmont.
"Perhaps we could work together to get the Breeders' Cup to add an incentive to the purse so that a specific charity would get a bigger slice of the pie," Jackson said.
Iavarone pointed to the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) on October 25 at Santa Anita Park as a more appropriate stage for a Big Brown-Curlin matchup. Jackson said that the Classic is "not part of my current plan for Curlin," citing dissatisfaction with the race being contested on Santa Anita’s revamped synthetic surface.
"I felt it was the sporting thing to do to announce Curlin's schedule to give fair notice to anyone looking to compete against the reigning Horse of the Year this fall," Jackson said.
Neither Big Brown nor Curlin has ever raced on a synthetic track.
“We have been calling out the Breeders’ Cup Classic since before the Triple Crown,” Iavarone said. “That’s always been where we’ve wanted to culminate our season. The champion is decided at that race, not the Woodward. There’s no reason in a million years that Curlin should not be there. They tried him on the turf; there’s no reason they shouldn’t run him on the synthetic. If they want to run him in that race, we’ll multiply the charitable donation because we’re going to donate to charity anyway.”
Iavarone said IEAH has issued donations to the family of a critically injured Long Island police officer, ReRun Horse Rescue, Anna House, and other charities in recent months.
“That’s part of being a horse owner,” Iavarone said. “We didn’t make those donations because a horse ran against us. We made those donations because we feel we’re obligated as people with means [to do so].”
Jackson countered Iavarone's statement, asserting that he, too, is involved with making charitable contributions.
"When [Jackson's wife] Barbara and I bought Curlin, we immediately established the Jackson Curlin for Kids Fund, whose purpose is to make a difference in teh lives of children where Curlin runs or trains," Jackson said.
Iavarone said the Haskell was a tough race on Big Brown, who dug deep in the final furlong to chase down pacesetter Coal Play for a 1 3/4-length victory. Iavarone said the selection of Big Brown’s next race will depend on how quickly he recovers from the Haskell.
The options include a race that the New York Racing Association would likely create for Big Brown at Belmont Park on September 13, the Massachusetts Handicap on September 20 at Suffolk Downs, and the Clement L. Hirsch Memorial Turf Championship Stakes (G1) during the Oak Tree at Santa Anita meeting on September 27.
“It depends on how quickly he bounces back,” Iavarone said. “We’ve got to put the gasoline back in the tank.”
Jeff Lowe is a Thoroughbred Times staff writer
