He did it!!!
Curlin, the 2007 Horse of the Year, has broken the all-time earnings record for a North American thoroughbred held since 1996 by the great Cigar.
Curlin thundered home in the slop at Belmont Park becoming only the 9th horse in history to capture consecutive Jockey Club Gold Cup victories, joining the likes of Kelso, Dark Secret, and Skip Away.
The victory vaulted Curlin to an amazing $10,246,800 in all-time earnings, quite a feat for a horse making just his 15th lifetime start. The son of Smart Strike is now 11 for 15 lifetime. The legendary Cigar earned $9,999,815 in 33 lifetime starts.
Could a date with destiny against Big Brown in the Breeder’s Cup Classic await next month? The horse racing world waits with baited breath. The two top horses in the world. Horse of the Year honors on the line. Perhaps the swan song of one of the greatest runners we have been blessed to see.
There’s always been something about this chestnut. From the moment he stepped onto the track, he’s had “it” – whatever “it” is. He’s the kind of horse that makes you stop in your tracks and take notice. As a horse racing fan, it’s been the joy of a lifetime to cheer him on. He just makes you so darn proud of him.
Way to go Curlin! You’re the best in the world and now all the heathens know it. 
EDIT: Apparently Curlin is indeed headed to the Breeder’s Cup Classic! Bloodhorse has the quote.
YES!!! Way to go Curlin!! You should have heard the crowd cheering for him, before and after the race, it was sensational! No whip, just a hand-ride, and now Mr. Jackson has announced that Curlin is heading to Santa Anita the 28th of September to prep for the Breeders Cup Classic!!
GO CURLIN!!
Yay hooray, just saw the replay, great great horse!
It was a fun day of racing at Belmont. My horse I like Stardom Bound at SA just totally blew me away. She is amazing. I hope you saw the race she ran today Kevin. It is stunning.
I am so happy I can see the SA races now. I got GOLTV as part of my package here also as one of my channels included. So now I get more soccer. You can never have enough of soccer.
Stardom Bound – just read she was kicked on Friday – and then she ran like that? Wow.
I’m so excited about Curlin going to the Breeder’s Cup. Horse of the Year is back on the line!
My call of the year, Curlin or Big Brown will not win the Classic! Heck, neither might not even make the exacta! They are still winning, but are looking very worn doing it. Almost positive neither horse has raced on the SIN surface as well. Expect an outsider that is priming for the race and has its future ahead of them and not behind them! The mocking can start now!!!!!!!!!!
You may be right, Scott – and if so that’d be the upset of the year if BB and Curlin went down. I thought Curlin looked magnificent though. Where you saw him being worn down, I saw a classy champion winning under a hand ride over a sloppy track that had seen numerous other favorites go down in defeat.
In other words, I’m not worried about it. I think he gets it done.
Zenyatta could be the dark horse though, if they sent her to the classic.
Second call of the year! Bama VS Penn ST for National Champ Game!
Well Armed now has to be a major player in the classic. 3 Graded stakes wins on the SYN track lately at Santa Anita. Thats my early selection as of today! Mock away!
Curlin arrives at Santa Anita:
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/sports_blog/2008/09/horse-racing-cu.html
And yes, Shelton – Rollllll Tide!!!!
We should be #1 after that performance in Georgia.
WOW!
S.A…EIGHTY SEVEN % …DIRT…Long Live The EARTH!!!…Curlin is one hell of a Critter!
You always knew it and had faith!! How great for Curlin!!!
TVG had Curlin and pancho on view for a couple of minutes this afternoon
on there 1st meeting this early am with Oak Tree surroundings…..
Curlin looks so magnificent with his light gallops.
It is utterly breathtaking to behold…
GO Curlin
[...] up for the Maryland Million 1 10 2008 Now that Curlin has settled things and passed Cigar on the all-time earnings list, what’s the next “big thing” to focus on? Obviously the Breeder’s Cup [...]
I’ll be honest – this Breeder’s Cup Classic is wide open. The Ladies Classic is an infinitely more “sure thing” (if such a thing exists in racing) with Zenyatta pointing there. The Classic though, you’re likely going to have Well Armed (horse for the course), Curlin (horse of the year), Big Brown (potential horse of the year), and then international superstars Henrythenavigator and Duke of Marmelade.
How do you really toss any of those guys?
WIth the pick 4 and pick 6 pools being so lucrative on Breeder’s Cup Day – you’ve got to dip in (even if only for $1 or $2), but where do you take a stand?
It’s going to be interesting, and extremely hard to handicap. Hopefully the workouts give us some indication about Curlin, but he’s not exactly known for firing bullets in the morning works.
[...] indeed get the much anticipated matchup. Curlin has been at Santa Anita since the day after his Jockey Club Gold Cup win at Belmont Park made him “racing’s $10 million man.” In fact, he’ll have a public workout [...]