Curlin is the Number One Earner
Belmont Park was alive with anticipation as the horses for the 90th Jockey Club Gold Cup began getting ready for this electrifying racing event. With a sloppy track and a starting gate filled with worthy contenders, most spectators were on the edge of their seats, hoping that they would witness a moment in history. As the mighty chestnut Curlin broke from the gate and comfortably settled down under Robby Albarado, the stage was set for the performance of the century.
The Jockey Club Gold Cup is one of the most prestigious events on the horse racing calendar. Since its inception in 1919, it has had some of the world’s most legendary horses take part in it, and names such as Kelso, Cigar, Man O’War, Nashua and Skip Away, jump to mind. This magnificent event for three year old racehorses and older, held at Belmont Park, was not only another exceptional event for the year, but one where Curlin’s performance could make history. Curlin, who won the Jockey Club Gold Cup last year, was not only looking at winning for a consecutive year, but to break a record that Cigar had held for twelve years – the top earning racehorse in North America.
Curlin was held by Albarado in third position until they came into the final stretch, where Albarado asked Curlin for his well known determination and speed. Curlin answered by widening the gap between himself and the rest of the contender field and winning the Jockey Club Gold Cup with three quarters of a length between himself and second place finisher, Wanderin Boy. Cigar finished his horse racing career with earnings of $9 999 815 and nineteen victories off thirty-three starts. Receiving $450 000 for the Jockey Club Gold Cup, Curlin has pushed his career earnings to $10 246 800 and boasts eleven victories off fifteen career starts. This makes him the leading earner in the history of North American horse racing.
Even though this achievement might be rewritten in the future, his jockey Robby Albarado had this to say: “I’m sure this record will be broken someday, but it will take a hell of a horse to do it.” It is also hoped that this latest victory will encourage Curlin’s owners, and trainer Steve Asmussen, to run him in the Breeder’s Cup Classic, but as before, his performance in Santa Anita will depend on this reaction to the synthetic surface.
