NEWS
Horse of the Year Curlin nominated for Arc
Posted: Friday, May 09, 2008 3:56 PM
CURLIN WINNING THE DUBAI WORLD CUP ON MARCH 29 AT NAD AL SHEBA
Dubai Racing Club/Andrew Watkins photo
Curlin, the 2007 Horse of the Year and champion three-year-old male, is among 148 nominees for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (Fr-G1) on October 5 at Longchamp.
The purse for this year’s 2,400-meter (11.93-furlong) race has been doubled to approximately $6,178,798 (4-million euros), making it the world’s richest turf race.
Multiple Grade 1 winner Curlin made a special red carpet appearance at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) day on May 3. Majority owner Jess Jackson said the Smart Strike colt likely will make his next start in the $750,000 Stephen Foster Handicap (G1) on June 14 at the Louisville track.
Jackson was hesitant to discuss other races Curlin might run in this year. But he hinted another international start may be a possibility for the winner of the Emirates Airline Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1) on March 29 at Nad al Sheba Racecourse.
“I’d love to go some places that haven’t been showing Kentucky off,” Jackson said on Derby day. “That’s why we went to Dubai. Planting the American flag there was important. I’m a patriot, and I think we need a little boost for Kentucky, for the USA, particularly in the Middle East.”
Steve Asmussen trains Curlin, a career earner of $8,807,800.
