Equine Daily--The Equine World's Top Headline of the Day

CURLIN--RICHEST HORSE IN AMERICA
---------------------------------------------

Curlin became the richest horse in America Saturday in the 90th running of the $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup (GI).*

He was the 2-5 favorite breaking from the post, and settled back into fifth throughout the race. Wanderin Boy took an early lead, with Merchant Marine close on his heels.

In the backstretch, Mambo in Seattle edged up beside Curlin, passing him, but Curlin was pushed through horses in front of Mambo in Seattle. After that, Mambo in Seattle retreated and never posed a threat.

On a muddy track, Robby Albarado edged Curlin around Merchant Marine on the far turn and past Wanderin Boy after a lot of fight and no whip from Albarado, and Curlin won by three quarters of a length. Wanderin Boy was whipped and pushed hard, but to no avail.

Surprisingly, Jess Jackson, owner of Curlin said after the race that they are headed to Santa Anita for the 2008 Breeder's Cup Classic (GI) October 25 for $5 million. This decision has been changing around since Big Brown won the Monmouth Stakes, when Jackson stated that the match race was a firm "No." Now he will challenge him, if Curlin does well working out on the Pro-Ride surface. If he does, the match between Curlin and Big Brown will be on.

Good luck, Curlin. ~Equine Lover

*ESPNEWS did not televise the JC Gold Cup, as before said. (??)

Equine Daily--The Equine World's Top Headline of the Day

CURLIN TO FACE EIGHT ON A MUDDY TRACK
----------------------------------------------------

Horse of the Year Curlin, by Smart Strike, will face ten in this Saturday's Jockey Club Gold Cup (GI).

The forecast for Belmont Park is 1 1/2 inches of rain starting the 25 and could go on into the 27, race day. But this will not bother Curlin. He won the 2007 Breeder's Cup Classic (GI) on a muddy Monmouth track.

"He's had experience over a muddy track," states Scott Blasi, assistant trainer to Steve Asmussen. "It's definitely not an issue for him, according to his bank roll."

Blasi believes Curlin will quite easily be top of the game Saturday. "He's awesome. It seems like he always comes around this time of year; gets stronger. Hopefully, we are getting into the peak at the end of the year."

The Jockey Club Gold Cup is a "Win and You're In" race for the Breeder's Cup Classic (GI); the winner of this race will get a starting berth to the $5 million dollar race October 25 at Santa Anita. Jess Jackson, Curlin's owner, said a decision will be made to enter Curlin in the race or not after the Gold Cup. If the decision is yes, Curlin will not only have a chance to increase his earnings far above that of leading money earner Cigar's, but will also be able to prove that he is better than Big Brown, who will also be in the race--if he is better.

The biggest rivals of Curlin will be Wanderin Boy, who placed third to the chestnut in the Woodward Stakes (GI) after starting on an outside post, a disadvantage, and Mambo in Seattle, who lost the Travers Stakes (GI) by a whisker to Colonel John. However, Mambo in Seattle (by Kingmambo and out of the Seattle Slew mare Weekend in Seattle) is not a very good mud runner. He prefers the "good" or "fast" track surfaces. Wanderin Boy, however, does very well in mud--perhaps even better then on the fast surfaces. Mambo in Seattle also has had a switch of jockeys--Robby Albarado, his jockey in the Travers, is Curlin's regular jockey. This may upset him. He has Edgar S. Prado up.

Timber Reserve, although not as good as the before mentioned horses, is a speedster and may present a little of a threat. He won last year's Pennsylvania Derby (GII).

Angliana is the long shot.

Each horse carries 126 pounds except Mambo in Seattle, who carries 122. The race is for colts and fillies (or mares, stallions, geldings) 3 years old and up.

The entries of the 90th running of the Jockey Club Gold Cup are:
1. Ravel, Rafael Bejarano
2. Merchant Marine, Cornelio H. Velasquez
3. Timber Reserve, Kent J. Desormeaux
4. Wanderin Boy, Alan Garcia
5. Curlin, Robby Albarado
6. Angliana, Rajiv Maragh
7. A. P. Arrow, Ramon A. Dominguez
8. Stones River, Gabriel Saez
9. Mambo in Seattle, Edgar S. Prado
~Equine Lover

Equine Daily--The Equine World's Top Headline of the Day

Zenyatta and jockey Mike Smith

PERFECT ZEN LOOKING FOR ANOTHER PERFECT WIN
-------------------------------------------------------------

Undefeated Zenyatta, by Street Cry and out of Vertigineux, by Kris S., will be looking for another win to add to her perfect record Saturday (September 27) in the Lady's Secret Stakes (GI).

The Lady's Secret will hopefully be a springboard toward the $2 million Breeder's Cup Ladie's Classic (GI) October 24. Both races are at Oak Tree at Santa Anita.


Zenyatta's biggest rival is Hystericalady, a filly by Distorted Humor and out of Sacramentada, by Northair. They will break side by side, with Zenyatta in post four and Hystericalady in post three.


Trained by John Shirreffs for Jerry and Anne Moss, Zenyatta most recently had a one length win in the August 2 Clement L. Hirsch. She recorded a six furlong workout in 1:12.80 September 20 at Hollywood Park.


Hystericalady has a record of of 21 starts with 11 wins, 3 places and 2 shows. She is trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, a Northern California legend, and owned in partnership by this trainer and Rancho San Miguel and George Todaro. She has earnings totalling $2,290,596. Her jockey is Garret Gomez.


Zenyatta has a 7: 7-0-0 record and earnings of $914,580. Her jockey is regular Mike Smith.


The race is for three year olds and up, with a purse of $250,00. Approximate post time is 2:30 pm Pacific Time. Each entry (5 entries altogether) will carry 123 pounds.


Entries:
1. Super Freaky (Martin Garcia)
2. Wake up Maggie (Tyler Baze)
3. Hystericalady (Garret Gomez)
4. Zenyatta (Mike Smith)
5. Santa Teresita (Michael Baze)
~Equine Lover

Note to Racing Record Readers:

The Racing Record newsletter will not be out until Monday, due to the Jockey Club Gold Cup being Saturday. This will then allow it to be announced in the newsletter.
Thank you for your patience!
~Equine Lover

Equine Daily--The Equine World's Top Headline of the Day

ESPN TO TELEVISE JC GOLD CUP
-------------------------------------

ESPNEWS will televise this Saturday's Jockey Club Gold Cup (GI) at Belmont Park.

In the race is Horse of the Year Curlin, who will be going for the $450,000 winner's purse and hoping to pass Cigar's top money earner's record of $9,999,815. Curlin has $9,796,800.

The Jockey Club Gold Cup is for 3-year-olds and up and will be contested at 1 1/4 miles over dirt. It will be televised also by TVG and HRTV. Post time is 5:52 pm ET and 4:52 pm CT.
~Equine Lover

Equine Daily--The Equine World's Top Headline of the Day

PROUD SPELL FINISHED FOR 2008
---------------------------------------

Proud Spell, a filly by Proud Citizen and who won the 2008 Kentucky Oaks (GI) in May, will not race anymore in 2008.

Trainer Larry Jones states that the filly is tired, after having raced against top fillies every month since February. He was planning on putting her in the Breeder's Cup Ladies Classic, but after her second place finish in the $750,000 Fitz Dixon Cotillion Stakes (GII) Jones decided that her racing career was coming to an end.

It is undecided whether the filly will race in 2009 or not. Jones says it all depends. He said in a speech, "We haven't made any decision yet on what we'll do with her. She's sound, but she is tired. We've run her every month since February against the best fillies in America, and she didn't lose the Cotillion because she was tired; I'm not using that as an excuse. But in each of her last few races, she's come out of it a little more tired, which is understandable, especially after such a grueling effort against Music Note. That was the premier race for our filly.

"The other riders gave Gabriel (Saez) a lesson in race riding in the Cotillion, as they did in the Mother Goose. The Eight Belles incident in the Derby really psyched him out in the Mother Goose. In both races, they had him bottled up, but he had a chance to shoot through each time. I told him before the Cotillion to make sure he was in front turning for home, because she's never been passed in the stretch. She has a heart that's unstoppable. But I'm going to stick with him; he's a great kid and I think he's going to be a Hall of Fame jockey one day. This is part of the learning process.

"A lot of people advised me to wrap up on her and send her home after the Alabama, but we took a shot, because she loves to run. That's why it's going to be hard for me not to run her next year. Right now, we're just going to wait and see. We're blessed to have her and blessed that she's sound. The immediate plan is to bring her home and turn her out and let her be a horse for a while. We did that right after the Breeder's Cup last year. Then, we'll take a bunch of X-rays and make sure there isn't a problem that we don't know about. If everything's okay, we might very well be running her next year."

Proud Spell has won seven of twelve career starts. She has earned over two million.
~Equine Lover

Equine Daily--The Equine World's Top Headline of the Day

Curlin after his workout

CURLIN HAS A "PERFECT" WORK
-------------------------------------

Horse of the Year Curlin, a colt by Smart Strike, had a "perfect" workout according to Scott Blasi, assistant trainer of Steve Asmussen (September 22). "Perfect. It was his normal work before he runs. He got over the ground really well, and we are all excited about Saturday," he said.

"Saturday" is the $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup (GI) in which Curlin will run, hoping to beat Cigar's record earnings of $9,999,415. The colt currently has $9,796,800, and the $450,000 winner's purse will push him to $10,246,800. Cigar has held his record for 12 years.

Curlin, a 4-year-old, went a half mile in :51.85. He went in fractions of :13 and :25.70 while galloping out five furlongs on a fast surface in 1:06.15. (Take note that the term "gallop" is a slow gallop, the term "breeze" is a medium gallop, and the term "work" is as fast as the horse can go. Curlin went in a gallop.)

Expected to challenge Curlin is Mambo in Seattle, who is going for a repeat victory in the Jockey Club Gold Cup and who placed second by a nose to Colonel John in the Travers Stakes (GI); grade I winner Frost Giant; Timber Reserve; Angliana; either A.P. Arrow or Ravel; and Wanderin Boy, who placed third behind Curlin in the Woodward Stakes (GI).

Curlin will leave for Belmont Park September 23, at 10:00 am ET or 9:00 am CT. He should therefore arrive at Belmont Park between 1:30 and 2:00 pm ET. Assistant trainer Blasi said Curlin will gallop September 24, be schooled in the paddock during the second race September 25, and gallop again September 26.

Good luck, Curlin. ~Equine Lover

Video of the Week--Patches the Coolest Horse

Photo of the Week

New! The First Issue of The Racing Record!

The first issue of The Racing Record was posted today on this blog for readers to buy. It contains news that is not mentioned on this blog of the Thoroughbred world.
I tried to get it so it was free, so it could be a free trial issue. But that did not work.
Sorry for the inconvenience!

Equine Daily--The Equine World's Top Headline of the Day

GALILEO'S RECOVERY
-------------------------

Galileo, an England sire of 15 group 1 winners including five this year (four of them New Approach, Lush Lashes, Soldier of Fortune, and Red Rocks), is reportedly recovering from colic. He had been uncomfortable through the afternoon, and was taken to the equine hospital nearby and found with colic. Galileo stands at Coolmore stud.

"Galileo had colic surgery yesterday evening," Christy Grassick, Coolmore's general manager, said. "We are delighted with his progress overnight and his recovery has been uneventful. He is doing very well and we expect him to be returning back to Coolmore very shortly."

Get well, Galileo! ~Equine Lover

Equine Daily--The Equine World's Top Headline of the Day

WEST NILE VIRUS IN KENTUCKY
-------------------------------------

September 18, Kentucky Agriculture officials said that a 9-year-old Saddlebred gelding was confirmed with West Nile Virus (WNV). He had not been vaccinated.

The horse lives in Christian County, in southwest Kentucky. A statement by the Kentucky State Veterinarian's Office said the horse began to show clinical signs September 5.

As of September 17, the horse is still alive and improving, ".....with some mild rear limb ataxia remaining apparent."

Horses are highly susceptible to WNV; they should be vaccinated to prevent this. It, however, does not spread from horse to horse or horse to human. West Nile was recognized in North America in 1999. ~Equine Lover

Equine Daily--The Equine World's Top Headline of the Day

PROUD SPELL TO PHILADELPHIA
--------------------------------------

Proud Spell, winner of 2008's Kentucky Oaks (GI) for fillies and Alabama Stakes (GI), will go to Philadelphia to race in the $750,000 Fitz Dixon Cotillion (GII) this Saturday. It is the highest money-race in her career.

The Fitz Dixon Cotillion, run at Philadelphia Park on dirt and over 1 1/16 miles, may just be the last prep race for Proud Spell before October 24th's Breeder's Cup Ladies' Classic (GI). She will be running with 124 pounds, the largest amount on her back ever. Her biggest rival is Seattle Smooth, a filly by Quiet American, and ridden by Jose Lezcano. Seattle Smooth is unplaced in three graded stakes races, but won by an amazing 7 1/4 lengths in the Go for Wand Stakes August 30. This was her last race. She carries 119, gaining 5 from Proud Spell. The other fillies in the race all carry 114 pounds, gaining 10 from the Proud Citizen filly.

Another rival to worry over is Jay Em Ess Stable's By the Light, who is trained by Big Brown's trainer, Rick Dutrow, Jr. By the Light will be ridden by 2006 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI) winning jockey Edgar Prado (on Barbaro in 2006).

Never Retreat was a disappointing fifth in the Coaching Club American Oaks (GI), her last race, but finished third to Proud Spell in a race before, in which Proud Spell was second to Music Note. Never Retreat was then placed in second due to Proud Spell's jockey interfering in the stretch.

Proud Spell will carry regular jockey Gabriel Saez.

The entries are as follows:
1. Color Me Up (KY), Frankie Pennington, 114
2. Million Dollar Ru (KY), Kendrick Carmouche, 114
3. Never Retreat (KY), Garrett K. Gomez, 114
4. Seattle Smooth (KY), Jose Lezcano, 119
5. Picker (KY), (No rider), 114
6. Proud Spell (KY), Gabriel Saez, 124
7. By the Light (NY), Edgar S. Prado, 114
~Equine Lover

Equine Daily--The Equine World's Top Headline of the Day

PROUD SPELL POSSIBLE BREEDER'S CUP ENTRY
------------------------------------------------------

Proud Spell, winner of this year's Kentucky Oaks for fillies (GI) and Alabama Stakes (GI), may just go to the 2008 Breeders Cup Ladies' Classic (GI). Larry Jones, who trains Proud Spell and who was also the trainer of Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI) second place finisher Eight Belles, said as recent as August 17 that the filly would not race in the Breeder's Cup due to her disliking of synthetic surfaces. He did not indicate why he had this sudden change of mind, however he did say he wasn't happy with Proud Spell's workouts over synthetic track.

"It is a concern," he said. "She hasn't done as well on the synthetics as some of my others have. Her times are slower than the efforts she has been putting forth should suggest. I guess all eyes will be on Santa Anita. We'll see what happens."

Proud Spell has won seven of her eleven races. She is by the stallion Proud Citizen, out of the Langfuhr mare Pacific Spell. She is pointed toward this weekend's $750,000 Fitz Dixon Cotillion (GII) at Philadelphia Park. However, Jones believes the filly is almost at the end of her career. "...She's flesh and bone. Sooner or later she's going to start showing signs of being tired."

We'll just see about the Ladies' Classic. ~Equine Lover

2008 Monmouth Stakes

1. Nightscape
2. Hotstufanthensome
3. Shakis
4. Big Brown
5. Kiss the Kid
6. Proudinsky
7. Drum Major
8. Get Serious
9. Fagedaboudit Sal
10. Ballonenostrikes
11. Silver Tree

Equine Daily--The Equine World's Top Headline of the Day

PROUDINSKY EATS BIG BROWN'S DUST
---------------------------------------------

Big Brown won last Saturday in the $500,000 Monmouth Stakes on turf. He beat Proudinsky by about half a length.

The bay colt by Boundary and out of Mien, by Nureyev, started from the number four post and broke well, and by the clubhouse turn was in first place. Kent Desormeaux rode him.

Coming around the clubhouse turn, Big Brown, followed closely by Get Serious, pulled about six lengths away from the rest of the pack. Down the backstretch, Big Brown said goodbye to Get Serious and pulled away by two and a half.

The quarter mile was run in good time of 23.2

Get Serious had gone wide in the turn, sitting off of Big Brown for a little ways down the backstretch. He then moved up to about a half length behind Big Brown. Proudinsky was third on the inside, and Kiss the Kid was fourth on the outside.

Big Brown ran three quarters in 1:11.1.

As the horses came around the last turn, Get Serious clung to Big Brown. Shakis was coming up on the outside, and Proudinsky, somewhat caught on the inside, was giving his best now.

Down the stretch a little, Proudinsky pulled to the outside, making way for Silver Tree. Shakis was hung up back in the pack from his early stretch run, but as Proudinsky and Silver Tree pulled about a half length behind Big Brown, Shakis gave all he had and came up to about one and a half lengths behind Proudinsky. Big Brown, running with his head held high, was giving it all. Desormeaux gave a hand ride to Big Brown at the very end. He crossed the wire a half length in front of Proudinsky. Shakis finished a good third, about a length back of Proudinsky, and Silver Tree ended up fourth about one and a half lengths back of Shakis.

Good job, Big Brown. And good luck in the Breeder's Cup Classic! ~Equine Lover

Equine Daily--The Equine World's Top Headline of the Day

BIG BROWN FACES TEN IN MONMOUTH STAKES
--------------------------------------------------------

Big Brown will face 10 rivals in tomorrow's Monmouth Stakes for $500,000 at Monmouth Park, New Jersey.

Among them are two eight year olds, Peter Vegso's Silver Tree and Shadwell Stable's Shakis. Both seem to be improving with age. Silver Tree, who is from Florida, carries 121 pounds, allowing one pound to Big Brown's 120. He is in the eleven post position and will be ridden by jockey Eddie Castro. Shakis, from Ireland, is in the number three post position and is carrying 121 pounds. He will be ridden by jockey Joe Bravo. Fagedaboudit also carries 121 pounds, but the rest of the field will carry 119, gaining one to Big Brown.

Other rivals include the German-bred Proudinsky, ridden by Ramon Dominguez, and Drum Major, ridden by Kendrick Carmouche.

Big Brown will have his regular rider, Kent Desormeaux. He will be in post position four.

The entries for Saturday the 13th's Monmouth Stakes go as follows:
1. Nightscape (MD), 119, Emilio Flores
2. Hotstufanthensome (KY), 119, Jose Lezcano
3. Shakis (IRE), 121, Joe Bravo
4. Big Brown (KY), 120, Kent J. Desormeaux
5. Kiss the Kid (KY), 119, Elvis Trujillo
6. Proudinsky (GER), 119, Ramon Dominguez
7. Drum Major (KY), 119, Kendrick Carmouche
8. Get Serious (NY), 119, Pablo Fragoso
9. Fagedaboudit Sal (NJ), 121, Pedro L. Cotto, Jr.
10. Ballonenostrikes (FL), 119, Daniel Centeno
11. Silver Tree (FL), 121, Eddie Castro

Good luck, Big Brown! ~Equine Lover

Equine Daily--The Equine World's Top Headline of the Day

Big Brown is all set for the Monmouth Stakes this Saturday.\

The race will be run on grass, and is meant to be a transition from dirt to the synthetic surfaces of Santa Anita Park, where the Breeder's Cup will be held this year. Big Brown has never run on these surfaces. It is also to give him a race that will be soft on his feet. Dutrow reports the horse has had five or six quarter cracks [cracks in the hoof] since he has had him.

TVG will show the race live. Among Big Brown's rivals are Kiss the Kid, Proudinsky, Hotstufanthensone, Shakis, and Get Serious. Silver Tree, Shake the Bank, Bellonenostrikes and Victory Alleged are all considering the race. The purse will be boosted from $200,000 to $500,000 if Big Brown goes to the post.

Rick Dutrow, Big Brown's trainer, was questioned why he didn't run Big Brown in a graded stakes, like the Travers. He responded that they [IEAH stables] wanted a race exactly 40 days before the Breeder's Cup Classic. After looking around, they couldn't find a race that suited them, and asked New York, Philly and Monmouth to come up with something. They did, and IEAH stables chose Monmouth, due to their liking for the grass track there.

Obviously the talk went off onto having a match race between Big Brown and Curlin; the talk has been going on for months, with IEAH stables trying to invite Curlin into the Breeder's Cup Classic, and Curlin's owners trying to invite them into a race after that. Dutrow stated that unless Curlin ran in the Breeder's Cup Classic, then it would have to be a race afterward, but both owners were going to try and get together to please the fans. He stated that IEAH stables will use and standards for a match race, so for them, a match race is not a problem. However, they weren't really concerned about it now. Right now they were driving toward the Breeder's Cup Classic.

The Breeder's Cup races will be featured October 24 and 25, with the Classic on the 25. It will be shown live on ESPN television.

See you then, Big Brown! ~Equine Lover

Sorry.........

Due to moving and such, as many of you know, there was no "Equine Daily" for the past few weeks. And there will be no September issue of "Horse Sense;" however, I am working at a surprise that should soon be out on Horses and Friends.
~Equine Lover