IBN KHALDUN TAKES RACING POST TROPHY...p10 HEADLINE For information about TDN, call 732-747-8060. NEWS www.thoroughbreddailynews.com SUNDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2007 CURLIN WEATHERS THE STORM A WORLD OF CHAMPIONS Conditions for the 24th running of the Breeders= Cup Voting for the Eclipse Awards has not even started, World Championships at Monmouth Park were far from but it is likely that all but one category were decided in ideal. Rain squalls punctuated the Breeders= Cup races. The two-year-old races were par- afternoon, the main track was a ticularly formful--War Pass sea of slop, and riders coming (Cherokee Run) took the GI from off the pace on the turf Juvenile as the 2-1 favor- were bathed in mud as well. But ite, and Indian Blessing (In- the clouds parted as the horses dian Charlie), heroine of the headed to the paddock for yester- GI Juvenile Fillies, was the day=s $5-million GI Breeders= Cup shortest-priced winner on Classic, and the sun was shining the day at 8-5. Midnight Horsephotos as Curlin (Smart Strike) powered Lute (Real Quiet) was the past Hard Spun (Danzig) en route 5-2 crowd=s choice in the War Pass Horsephotos to what will certainly be a Horse of the Year-worthy GI Sprint and, after adding performance. AIt was truly awesome,@ said jockey that victory to his GI Robby Albarado, who had managed just one third-place Forego S. success, he will be nearer to even-money to finish in 10 prior Breeders= Cup attempts. AEverything be crowned champion. Also earning themselves consid- went perfectly, starting with all the speed up front. It erable points towards year-end honors were GI Turf unfolded just the way we wanted, but it also takes a hero English Channel (Smart Strike), GI F/M Turf winner hell of a horse to get this done. Curlin was there for us Lahudood (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}), GI Distaff victress every step of the way.@ BC Classic cont. p2 Ginger Punch (Awesome Again) and GI Classic champ Curlin (Smart Strike). Only sidelined Rags to Riches is Saturday, Monmouth Park expected to garner an Eclipse without a Breeders= Cup BREEDERS' CUP CLASSIC POWERED BY DODGE-GI, score. Despite the ugly weather, the turnout for the $4,580,000, MTH, 10-27, 3/up, 1 1/4m, 2:00 2/5, sy. first-ever two-day Breeders= Cup was solid. There were 1--CURLIN, 121, c, 3, by Smart Strike 27,803 on hand at Monmouth Park Friday, and 41,781 1st Dam: Sherriff's Deputy, by Deputy Minister at the track yesterday. AWe are encouraged with the 2nd Dam: Barbarika, by Bates Motel results of the inaugural two-day format at the 24th 3rd Dam: War Exchange, by Wise Exchange Breeders= Cup World Championships at Monmouth Park, ($57,000 yrl '05 KEESEP). O-Stonestreet, Padua & and want to congratulate the breeders, owners, trainers Midnight Cry Stables & G Bolton; B-Fares Farm Inc and riders who competed over the two days of our (KY); T-Steven M Asmussen; J-Robby Albarado; championships,@ said Breeders= Cup President and CEO $2,700,000. Lifetime Record: 9-6-1-2, $5,102,800. Greg Avioli. AWe also want to thank our hosts--Gover- 2--Hard Spun, 121, c, 3, Danzig--Turkish Tryst, by nor Corzine, the state of New Jersey and the New Turkoman. O-Fox Hill Farms Inc; B-Michael Moran & Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority--for their ef- Brushwood Stable (PA); T-J Larry Jones; $1,000,000. forts. The weekend combined stunning athletic perfor- 3--Awesome Gem, 126, g, 4, Awesome Again--Piano, mances and solid business results. Despite the weather, by Pentelicus. ($150,000 yrl '04 FTSAUG; $150,000 Friday=s business exceeded our expectations. The se- 2yo >05 BESMAR). O-West Point, Patrice Arudel, & vere weather and resulting track conditions, though, Paul Blavin; B-Runnymede Fm Inc, Catesby Clay & clearly affected overall wagering handle. We believe the P Callahan (KY); T-Craig Dollase; $500,000. results of this year, while preliminary, show the merits Margins: 4HF, 4 3/4, 1. Odds: 4.40, 8.10, 28.30. of expanding to two days, and we look forward to the Also Ran: Street Sense, Tiago, Any Given Saturday, Lawyer 25th Breeders= Cup World Championships next year at Ron, Diamond Stripes. DNF: George Washington (Ire). Oak Tree at Santa Anita.@ TDN P HEADLINE NEWS • 10/28/07 • PAGE 2 of 18 EATON SALES FAMILY Congratulates the owners & breeders of YEAR-END HONORS ON THE LINE CURLIN The Eclipse Award for top three-year-old--in addition Winner of the to the title of Horse of the Year--were at stake in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic Breeders= Cup Classic. GI Kentucky Derby and GI Travers S. winner Street Sense (Street Cry ENGLISH CHANNEL {Ire}) had the edge, but Winner of the Curlin was on his heels after taking his measure Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf in the GI Preakness S., and outgaming four-year- old Lawyer Ron (Langfuhr) HARD SPUN in the GI Jockey Club Gold Cup. If he could Second in the have turned the tables Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic Horsephotos and added a Classic score to his GI Whitney H. and GI Woodward S. wins, Lawyer Ron would have earned himself the championship, and Hard Spun was also in with a chance after taking the GI King=s Bishop S. and beating Street Sense in the GII Kentucky Cup Classic. Click for the brisnet.com chart or the free brisnet.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Taylor Made. Word on the Street Street Sense got the trip he wanted, but didn=t have A Horse for the Course? the gas he needed in the stretch. The dark bay flat- Many thought Monmouth=s tight turns and wet track tened out in the final drive and finished fourth. AWe just would prove Curlin=s undoing, but that was not the got outrun today,@ jockey Calvin Borel said. ACurlin ran case. The head-turning chestnut settled outside Street a beautiful race. At the quarter-pole, I thought I would Sense as Hard Spun, followed closely by Lawyer Ron, go with him, but he just kicked away. I couldn=t have Diamond Stripes (Notebook), Any Given Saturday (Dis- had a better trip--he tried hard with me. Curlin is the torted Humor) and George Washington (Ire) (Danehill), genuine article and I just couldn=t go with him.@ The Jim splashed through a half in :45.85 and six panels in Tafel homebred was carrying on a tradition--four previ- 1:10.67. The chase team gave it up one by one and ous BC Juvenile winners had tried to come back to take Curlin and Street Sense made their moves. The Ken- the Classic the following year and three--Macho Uno, tucky Derby winner was able to ride the rail around the Fly So Free and Chief=s Crown--were fourth. The 1989 turn and Curlin had to make his way through an open- Juvenile hero Rhythm was eighth in the 1990 Classic. ing between tiring rivals, but there was no doubt who loomed the larger threat. Curlin was in high gear as he Tragedy for Ballydoyle collared Hard Spun at the top of the lane, and he gal- MG1SW George Washington, who returned to train- loped away to an eyecatching victory. It was the first ing after an unsuccessful stint in the breeding shed, Breeders= Cup success for trainer Steve Asmussen, who was looking to improve on a sixth-place finish in the was off the board in six prior tries. AIt=s incredible,@ 2006 Classic. The four-year-old never looked comfort- Asmussen said. AIt=s all about Curlin--he=s the one who able while chasing Hard Spun early. He dropped back did it.@ Curlin won easily, but there were anxious mo- on the far turn and broke down in the stretch. AGeorge ments for his conditioner. A[The track] was a huge Washington sustained an open fracture of the cannon concern; I was extremely nervous about it. But Robby bone in the right front fetlock joint and disarticulated gave him the chance. He got him on his feet. First time the joint at the same time, and had both sesamoids by the stands, he was carrying Robby nicely, and he broken,@ said Dr. C. Wayne McIlwraith. The colt had to ran extremely well from there. He is incredible.@ be euthanized. TDN P HEADLINE NEWS • 10/28/07 • PAGE 3 of 18 HOMETOWN HERO Crossing the Hudson... Score one for the home team. Owner Jim English Channel had been to Monmouth twice before, Scatuorchio hangs his hat in Rumson, New Jersey, just winning the GI United Nations S. in 2006 and again in a 10-minute drive from Monmouth Park, and he 2007. He came into the Breeders' Cup off an impres- celebratedi n his sive 2 1/4-length tally in the GI own backyard after Turf Classic Invitational S. at cheering English Belmont Park. But the Channel (Smart five-year-old had been beaten in Strike) to a domi- two previous Breeders' Cup tries, nating seven-length finishing fifth in the Turf in 2005 victory in the GI and third in the race last year. Breeders' Cup Turf There was also a question mark yesterday after- as to how he would handle the noon. "I don't know rain-soaked turf course at if you can script it Monmouth. The handicappers Horsephotos any better," said had faith, however, sending Eng- Equi-Photo Scatuorchio, who lish Channel off as the 3-1 sec- retired from a Wall Street firm in 1998.