Horseys Horseys Yay
At least Curlin's ownership mess has finally emerged in some way as a positive. Given that 20% of the horse is owned by Midnight Cry, whose principals are now an ass hair away from being convicted felons, Curlin was previously ineligible to race in New York--the NYRA wouldn't issue Midnight Cry an owner's license. They've cleared him to run now, however, as the application was technically now in the name of the individual appointed by the courts to oversee the settlements. (At least, that's what I think happened... my legalize is getting better, I must say, but this one is still strange.)
The attorneys for the prosecution are once again pushing for a total sale. They argue that 20% of the purchase price of the entire horse would be more valuable than the purchase price of 20% of the horse. In this, they are probably correct. They're going about it in an insulting fashion, however. Jess Jackson, who owns the other 80% of the horse, has the right of first refusal under the current ownership agreement. The attorney for the prosecution is suggesting that he would try to low-ball them. Because clearly this man is in it for the money. Jackson would pay just about anything to run this horse entirely in his name. He's already sacrificed roughly $10 million to keep Curlin on the track this year (in fuzzy terms: roughly $100k a mare, roughly 100 mares a year). Nothing says "in it for the money" like passing up that guaranteed $10 million to put Curlin back on the track in a sport which gives him roughly a 1 in 500 chance a fatal injury every time the starting gate opens.
I truly must admire this man's approach to racing. He has the best horse of the past quarter century, and he knows it. He's concerned about the horse's legacy, but understands that Curlin can take care of himself--keep the horse sound, happy, and healthy, and he'll take care of the "winning races" business. Jackson isn't picking soft races that the horse can easily win, just to make his record look more impressive. If Curlin stayed in the US this fall, he could win just about every Grade 1 race in the handicap division and, barring an accident, trounce his competition in the Breeder's Cup Classic to retire at the end of the year as the most money-winning horse in North American history, and only the second horse to win the Classic in consecutive years. That's quite the legacy. But Jess Jackson thinks it isn't enough for this horse.
In the big picture, of course, is the Arc. In 2007, Curlin won the Breeder's Cup Classic, arguably the greatest race in North America. In 2008, Curlin won the Dubai World Cup, unarguably the greatest race in the Middle East. And now he's being pointed to the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, arguably the greatest race in Europe and certainly the greatest race in continental Europe. Reigning champion on three continents? No one has ever managed that before. Even if he didn't win the Arc, a finish in the money would be spectacular. No American horse has ever finished in the money in the Arc.
And Jackson is not pulling his punches on getting the horse there, either. The Arc is run on grass; previously, Curlin has only raced on dirt. They need to know that he can perform on grass before they ship him all the way to Europe, so they need to pick a grass race here just to see how he likes the surface. What do they pick? The Man o' War Stakes. A Grade 1 stakes which, this year, has attracted Better Talk Now and Red Rocks, both of whom have won the Breeder's Cup Turf (the top American race on grass) in previous years. Not exactly easing into things, there. And I admire that.
Admire it so much, in fact, that I just bought a ticket. Oh snap.
And please, please don't scratch, Curlin, because that ticket was non-refundable.
The attorneys for the prosecution are once again pushing for a total sale. They argue that 20% of the purchase price of the entire horse would be more valuable than the purchase price of 20% of the horse. In this, they are probably correct. They're going about it in an insulting fashion, however. Jess Jackson, who owns the other 80% of the horse, has the right of first refusal under the current ownership agreement. The attorney for the prosecution is suggesting that he would try to low-ball them. Because clearly this man is in it for the money. Jackson would pay just about anything to run this horse entirely in his name. He's already sacrificed roughly $10 million to keep Curlin on the track this year (in fuzzy terms: roughly $100k a mare, roughly 100 mares a year). Nothing says "in it for the money" like passing up that guaranteed $10 million to put Curlin back on the track in a sport which gives him roughly a 1 in 500 chance a fatal injury every time the starting gate opens.
I truly must admire this man's approach to racing. He has the best horse of the past quarter century, and he knows it. He's concerned about the horse's legacy, but understands that Curlin can take care of himself--keep the horse sound, happy, and healthy, and he'll take care of the "winning races" business. Jackson isn't picking soft races that the horse can easily win, just to make his record look more impressive. If Curlin stayed in the US this fall, he could win just about every Grade 1 race in the handicap division and, barring an accident, trounce his competition in the Breeder's Cup Classic to retire at the end of the year as the most money-winning horse in North American history, and only the second horse to win the Classic in consecutive years. That's quite the legacy. But Jess Jackson thinks it isn't enough for this horse.
In the big picture, of course, is the Arc. In 2007, Curlin won the Breeder's Cup Classic, arguably the greatest race in North America. In 2008, Curlin won the Dubai World Cup, unarguably the greatest race in the Middle East. And now he's being pointed to the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, arguably the greatest race in Europe and certainly the greatest race in continental Europe. Reigning champion on three continents? No one has ever managed that before. Even if he didn't win the Arc, a finish in the money would be spectacular. No American horse has ever finished in the money in the Arc.
And Jackson is not pulling his punches on getting the horse there, either. The Arc is run on grass; previously, Curlin has only raced on dirt. They need to know that he can perform on grass before they ship him all the way to Europe, so they need to pick a grass race here just to see how he likes the surface. What do they pick? The Man o' War Stakes. A Grade 1 stakes which, this year, has attracted Better Talk Now and Red Rocks, both of whom have won the Breeder's Cup Turf (the top American race on grass) in previous years. Not exactly easing into things, there. And I admire that.
Admire it so much, in fact, that I just bought a ticket. Oh snap.
And please, please don't scratch, Curlin, because that ticket was non-refundable.