RACHEL ALEXANDRA RULED OUT OF APPLE BLOSSOM DUEL

Rachel Alexandra
(Photo : Brock Talk / NY Daily News)

RACHEL ALEXANDRA VS ZENYATTA

One day after finishing second in her seasonal return in the New Orleans Ladies Stakes at the Fair Grounds, Rachel Alexandra (Medaglia d’Oro) was officially confirmed out of the Gr1 Apple Blossom Handicap, which will be contested on 9 April. Her owner Jess Jackson confirmed yesterday that, although the defending Horse of the Year exited the New Orleans Ladies healthy, the four-year-old would not be shipped to Oaklawn Park for a match-up with champion Zenyatta (Street Cry).

“Saturday’s race, while a disappointment, helped us define Rachel Alexandra’s racing condition,” explained Jess Jackson. “While she is healthy, just as I had anticipated, she is not in top form. Therefore, I decided on Sunday that she will not be going to the Apple Blossom on April 9. Steve Asmussen and I discussed this fully and we now regret we tried to accelerate her training in order to meet the Apple Blossom schedule. We have a whole season before us to help define her greatness. She will tell us when her next race will be.”

Responding to Rachel Alexandra’s defection, Zenyatta’s owner Jerry Moss said, “We’re disappointed that we’re not going to be able to face each other in the Apple Blossom. Hopefully, we can meet down the line. We respect both Steve and Mr. Jackson as horsemen, and they’re going to do what’s right for their horse. That’s all anybody could ask for. We’ll go on to the Apple Blossom as planned.”

Extract from Thoroughbred Daily News

CURLIN to stand at Lane's End

Curlin
(Thoroughbred Photos)

Lane’s End Farm in Versailles, Kentucky, will see the addition of reigning Horse of the Year, Curlin, for the 2009 season. Curlin will be joining his sire, Smart Strike, who currently stands at William S. Farish’s Lane’s End.

The four-year-old colt out of Sherriff’s Deputy, by Deputy Minister, will stand for $75,000.

The Thoroughbred Times reports that Curlin retires as the leading earner in North American racing history with a bankroll of $10,501,800, gleaned primarily from seven Grade or Group 1 wins, including the 2007 Preakness Stakes (Gr1) and Breeders’ Cup Classic (Gr1) and 2008 Emirates Airline Dubai World Cup (UAE-Gr1).

The stud deal was finalized while majority owners Jess Jackson and his wife, Barbara Banke, await a court ruling whether to approve their private offer to buy out the 20% interest of minority owners Shirley Cunningham and Bill Gallion.

“The Jacksons are due great credit for allowing our sport to enjoy this great champion as a four-year-old,” Farish said. “Many would have retired him after winning the Breeders’ Cup Classic and Horse of the Year honors as a three-year-old. Curlin’s performance on the track, his pedigree, and his conformation make him the most exciting sire prospect to retire in many years. We are honored to have him join his champion sire, Smart Strike, at Lane’s End.”

Smart Strike was the leading sire in North America last year when Curlin capped his championship season with a four-length victory in the $5 million Classic at Monmouth Park. Curlin’s triumphs in the Dubai World Cup, Stephen Foster Handicap (Gr1), Woodward Stakes (Gr1), and Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes (Gr1) have helped push Smart Strike to the top of the general sire’s list again this year.

“After a stellar racing career, Curlin is now in a position to carry on his iron horse bloodlines at Lane’s End, the premier stallion farm in the nation,” Jess Jackson said. “He is one of the best examples of the breed - fast, strong, and durable. I predict he will make a substantial contribution to our sport through his gene pool, and I am looking forward to seeing his foals compete and possibly exceed his unequaled race record.”

Bred by Fares Farm Inc., Curlin will join 1992 Horse of the Year A.P. Indy and 2003 Horse of the Year Mineshaft on the Lane’s End roster. Curlin, who finished fourth to Raven’s Pass in the Breeders’ Cup Classic on 25 October in his final start, likely will be a top candidate along with Zenyatta in this year’s balloting for Horse of the Year. He would be the first back-to-back winner since Cigar, the 1995 and 1996 Horse of the Year who Curlin surpassed at the top of the all-time earnings list.

“Curlin made his mark in the history books in so many ways: as a classic winner, as a colt who traveled to Dubai and captured the Dubai World Cup, and who returned to take three more Grade 1 races and tally record earnings,” trainer Steve Asmussen said. “His physical and mental attitude is unparalleled and he retires perfectly sound.”

“Watch Curlin winning the 2008 Dubai World Cup”

RED ROCKS raises doubts about strength of US Racing

Steve Asmussen leads Curlin
(AP Photos)

English galloper Red Rocks (Galileo) has raised new questions about the standard of American racing Red Rocks, who has performed only moderately at home since winning the by giving the horse ranked No.1 in  the world an old-fashioned hiding. 2006 Breeder Cup Turf, beat the World Champion Curlin by two lengths in the G1 Man O’War Stakes at Belmont on Saturday.

Stallions Daily Bulletin reports that the win left trainer Steve Asmussen in a less-than-affable mood and is likely to torpedo plans for Curlin to run in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. While Red Rocks has shown good ability, he finished only sixth at his previous start in the Coronation Cup at Epsom behind Soldier Of Fortune.

The defeat which came after Curlin’s Dubai World Cup win and a hollow first-up victory, could be down to the horse’s inexperience on grass. Curlin was making his first attempt away from the dirt tracks he was brought up on and connections are hoping his performance was down to inexperience on the new surface. His owner, Jess Jackson took some consolation in the reception his horse had received.

“It was a great race for the fans and this is part of what we are trying to do,” said Jess Jackson. “We just didn’t see that late kick from him today. I don’t know if that was because he is still getting used to the turf or what. My feeling right now is that he needs another turf test. I’m disappointed, but this is not a setback.”

While Red Rocks is capable of producing the goods on his day, the concern for the Curlin camp was that he only held off the veteran Better Talk Now by a half length to keep second.

The shock defeat of the 2-5 favourite follows the dismal performance of America’s other boom horse, Big Brown, in the Belmont Stakes at the same track last month.

"Horse of the Year" Curlin to race in 2008

Curlin (Matthew Stockman/Getty)There were few surprises during last night’s Eclipse Awards ceremony in Beverly Hills, but there was a bit of welcome news. Making the announcement as he accepted the trophy for the 2007 Horse of the Year, Stonestreet Stables’ Jess Jackson revealed that Curlin (Smart Strike) will be back in action this year.

Jackson bought out partners Padua Stables and George Bolton after the colt’s smashing success in the GI Breeders’ Cup Classic at Monmouth Park, and now holds an 80-percent interest. The remaining 20 percent, once controlled by Midnight Cry’s beleaguered partners Shirley Cunningham Jr. and William Gallion, is now in the hands of the courts.

Jackson is confident that he will be free to chart a course for his Eclipse champion, but did caution, “There are provisos: he must be fit and we must work out the ownership issues.” He added, “It’s very likely that he will race in 2008, because I think those issues can be worked out.”

Extract from Thoroughbred Daily News 22.01.08