« Previous Horse Racing News Entries
The 38th Annual Eclipse Awards will be broadcast by TVG live on Monday, January 26, at The Fontainebleau in Miami Beach, Florida.
Live coverage of the Eclipse Awards begins at 7 p.m. EST. and will be hosted by TVG’s Todd Schrupp, Simon Bray and Jill Byrne. Horse racing and sports announcer Kenny Rice will serve as master of ceremonies.
Eclipse Award finalists for all categories were announced on January 8 headed by 2007 Horse of the Year Curlin, 2008 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Big Brown, and undefeated Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic winner Zenyatta.
2008 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner Big Brown and Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Raven’s Pass on Thursday were named as finalists to win an Eclipse Award as the top 3-year-old male horse.
The 2008 Eclipse Award winners will be announced on January 26 in Miami where finalists for Horse of the Year will be announced.
After winning the Kentucky Derby and Preakness, Big Brown was slowed by a quarter crack on his left front hoof, then finished last in the Belmont Stakes in June as he attempted to become horse racing’s first Triple Crown winner since 1978.
Reigning Horse of the Year Curlin will stand stud at Lane’s End Farm in Kentucky. William Farish announced Friday the richest racehorse in North America will become a stallion at his Versailles farm, where Curlin’s sire, Smart Strike, is already a breeding star.
Curlin will command a stud fee of $75,000 his opening year, half what Smart Strike receives and $10,000 more than the stud fee for Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner Big Brown.
Race horse Curlin has won 11 of 16 career starts, plus a pair of second and third place finishes. Included in Curlin’s wins are the Preakness Stakes, Jockey Club Gold Cup, Stephen Foster Handicap and Dubai World Cup. His career winnings of $10.5 million have passed Cigar to make him North America’s richest racehorse in history.
2007 Horse of the Year Curlin will be retired to stud in 2009. Majority owner Jess Jackson said in a statement issued Sunday that he’ll consider offers from farms in Kentucky before deciding where Curlin will stand at stud.
Until his future home is selected, race horse owner Jess Jackson said Curlin will remain in training for a possible horse race later this year, “If an appropriate venue and purse are offered, we would consider one more race in 2008 for Curlin,” Jess Jackson said.
The 4-year-old son of Smart Strike, Curlin, has a career record of 11-2-2 in 16 starts and is the first North American race horse to earn more than $10-million.
A sale by sealed bid for the 20% minority interest in reigning Horse of the Year Curlin failed to produce an acceptable offer.
A state judge had ordered the minority share of Curlin be sold to help satisfy a $42 million judgment against the horse’s minority owners, William Gallion and Shirley Cunningham. Prospective buyers had until Wednesday to submit the bid.
The 80% majority interest held by winemaker Jess Jackson isn’t affected by the sale. Kevin McGee, vice president of Stonestreet Stables, which owns the 80% majority of the race horse Curlin, said Jess Jackson will wait to see what happens in a private sale.
Horse of the Year Curlin is back at Churchill Downs, home of the 2009 Kentucky Derby, after finishing fourth to Raven’s Pass in the 2008 Breeders’ Cup Classic at Oak Tree at Santa Anita Park.
North American horse racing’s all-time earnings leader Curlin returned to the Churchill Downs track around 5 pm and was led off a van by assistant trainer Scott Blasi as race horse trainer Steve Asmussen looked on.
Steve Asmussen said the chestnut colt Curlin came out of his setback in good shape, but immediate plans for his future have not been set. He said no decision has been made on whether Curlin’s unsuccessful bid to repeat last year’s Breeders’ Cup Classic victory at Monmouth Park would be the last horse race of Curlin’s career.
Princess Haya of Jordan and Darley Stable’s Raven’s Pass, ridden by jockey Lanfranco Dettori, wins the $4,580,000 Breeders’ Cup Classic and foiled Horse of the Year Curlin’s bid to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic for a second straight year on October 25 Breeders’ Cup Day Saturday at Santa Anita Park.
Trained by John Gosden, Raven’s Pass covered 1 1/4 miles in 1:59.27 and paid $29, $15.80 and $8. Henrythenavigator, under jockey John Velazquez, placed second and returned $22 and $11.20. Tiago with jockey Mike Smith aboard came in third and paid $7 to show.
View the Breeders’ Cup results & payouts as well as the Breeders’ Cup winners.
Race horse Curlin will defend his title in the $5-million Breeders’ Cup Classic on Saturday, October 25, at Santa Anita Park.
The son of Smart Strike, Curlin, won the 2007 Preakness Stakes and is the reigning Horse of the Year. Curlin has been installed at the 7-5 morning-line favorite in the 2008 Breeders’ Cup Classic that features stars from Japan and Europe.
Among the Breeders’ Cup Classic contenders challenging Curlin are undefeated Casino Drive from Japan and Europeans Duke of Marmalade, Henrythenavigator and Raven’s Pass.
By GREG MELIKOV
Here’s the 25th Breeders’ Cup 2008 in a nutshell.
$1 Million Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint, 7 furlongs: There are two horses to beat, both 3-year-old fillies. Indian Blessing, the early 2-1 choice is 2 for 2 at the distance, with a victory over the old Santa Anita Park Cushion Track. Zaftig won twice at the distance on dirt, beating Indian Blessing at a mile. Indyanne or Intangaroo can round out the trifecta off their synthetic surface form.
$2 Million Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic, 1 1/8 miles: Favorites dominate, as 17 of 24 winners were less than 3-1, which probably accounts for the small fields. Zenyatta, morning line 3-5 favorite, is undefeated in eight races that include seven on synthetic surfaces. I like her to defeat seven challengers. Longshot Carriage at 8-1, who won twice on Polytrack, is worth including in exotics.
$5 Million Breeders’ Cup Classic, 1 1/4 miles: Only four horses scored from posts 1-3, including Ghostzapper on the rail in ‘04 who was only the second wire-to-wire winner since ‘91 when Black Tie Affair triumphed off the longest layoff…
Race horse trainer Steve Asmussen announced Tuesday that the Louisiana Derby winner, Pyro, will be one of the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile entries and will not run in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.
Pyro was one of the 3 Breeders’ Cup contenders of Steve Asmussen pre-entered for the Breeders’ Cup Classic, including defending Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Curlin and Student Council.
The 2008 Breeders’ Cup will be run for 2 days from October 24-25 at Santa Anita Park. Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile post time is 11:30 am while the Breeders’ Cup Classic post time is 3:45 pm Pacific.
« Previous Horse Racing News Entries
10% Bonus + Weekly Rebates
10% Free Cash Initial Deposit
Up to 60% Racebook Deposit Bonus + 5% Weekly Horse Betting Rebate
Get reward points for Free Bets