Curlin Wins Dubai World Cup at Nad Al Sheba Racecourse
The 4-year-old favorite son of Smart Strike, Curlin, did not disappoint horse racing fans as he won the US$6 million Dubai World Cup by 7 3/4 lengths on Saturday, March 29, at Nad Al Sheba Racecourse.
“It’s a great privilege for me to be on him,” Curlin’s jockey Robby Albarado said. “What a horse. He does it all on race day. It’s easy when you ride a great horse like Curlin. He’s not even tired.”
The Dubai World Cup is Curlin’s 8th career victory in 11 starts and was worth $3.6 million which boosted Curlin’s career earnings to $8,807,800. Curlin now ranks third behind Cigar ($9,999,815) and Skip Away ($9,616,360) among all-time North American earners.
“To win on the international stage like this is unbelievable,” said horse trainer Steve Asmussen, the trainer for Curlin. “It’s a great honor to be involved with this horse.”
Curlin’s final time for the 1 miles was 2:00:15, the third fastest in 13 runnings of the Dubai World Cup.
Curlin, 2007 Preakness Stakes winner and 3rd in last year’s Kentucky Derby, now has a four-race winning streak. After finishing a close second to the filly Rags to Riches in the Belmont Stakes, Curlin took the Jockey Club Gold Cup, the Breeders’ Cup Classic and the February 28 Jaguar Trophy Handicap in Dubai.
Mike de Kock trainee Asiatic Boy, the winner of the 2007 United Arab Emirates Triple Crown, is second in the Dubai World Cup.
“My horse has run a marvelous race and he fought and fought to get his second place,” Asiatic Boy’s jockey John Murtagh said. “The winner is a monster.”
Curlin became the fourth horse to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic and then take the World Cup the following year. The others horses were Cigar, Pleasantly Perfect and Invasor. Curlin’s record is now 8-1-2 record from 11 career starts.
Winstar Farm LLC’s Well Armed finished third followed by A P Arrow, Great Hunter, Lucky Find, Jalil, Gloria De Campeao, Premium Tap, Sway Yed, Kocab, and Vermilion completed the order of finish. Happy Boy was scratched.
Curlin will ship back to Keeneland on April 6. Plans for the rest of his 2008 campaign have yet to be announced.
"Curlin Wins Dubai World Cup at Nad Al Sheba Racecourse" was posted on 29 March 2008 7:05 PM under Horse Racing News, Horses, International Horse Racing, Stakes Races
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