Still skimming the international wave of his record-setting Dubai World Cup (Gr.1) victory, Curlin was crowned Monday night as America’s Horse of the Year for the second consecutive season, the first horse to earn that distinction since inaugural World Cup winner Cigar.
The rare honor and further laurels as American champion older male follow the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities’ World Thoroughbred Rankings’ designation of Curlin as the co-best horse in the world last year, along with Princess Haya's and Darley’s New Approach.
Curlin’s conditioner Steve Asmussen earned his first Eclipse Award as outstanding trainer, having set a North American record for wins as well as saddling the World Cup champion.
Additionally, Dubai Golden Shaheen (Gr.1) winner Benny the Bull was lauded as America’s champion sprinter, defeating two-time Breeders’ Cup Sprint (Gr.1) winner Midnight Lute in the balloting. Michael Iavarone, co-president of IEAH Stables, which raced Benny the Bull and three-year-old male champion Big Brown, reported that Benny the Bull will be brought out of retirement to race again this summer.
But the Eclipse Award celebration, held in Miami Beach, Florida, clearly belonged to Curlin and his connections.
“This is an honor beyond the dreams of somebody who dreamed he would someday own a champion racehorse when I saw Seabiscuit run in 1938,” said Jess Jackson, majority owner of Curlin, as he accepted the gold Horse of the Year statue.
Jackson reported that Curlin still wants to run. In fact, he quipped that Curlin gets depressed when he is returned from time in his paddock to his stall at William S. Farish’s Lane’s End, where the son of Smart Strike will begin covering mares next month.
“He doesn’t know what he’s up for; I think he’s going to be very pleased,” said Jackson, who suggested that Curlin's awards have elevated him into the ranks of America’s greatest racehorses. Some others who earned more than one Horse of the Year title include Triple Crown winners Secretariat and Affirmed.
Asmussen gave one of the more touching acceptance speeches of the evening, acknowledging the role of his parents, trainers Keith and Marilyn, in raising him and his brother Cash, who won the Eclipse Award as outstanding apprentice jockey in 1979.
“I can’t tell you how proud I am to win this award, especially for my parents. To have two kids fortunate enough to win Eclipse Awards is quite a feat, so congratulations to you,” Steve Asmussen said before thanking his staff and Jackson as well as Curlin.
“What a special horse,” Amussen exclaimed reverently. “We simply got out of his way.”
During his turn at the podium to accept Benny the Bull’s award, Iavarone praised the six-year-old son of Lucky Lionel for his trademark last-to-first runs and said he hopes the horse can repeat as champion sprinter of 2009. Benny the Bull had been retired last August when a bone chip was discovered in his right front ankle.
Iavarone also took time to recount the merits of Big Brown, winner of the Kentucky Derby (Gr.1) and Preakness Stakes (Gr.1) who earned the Eclipse Award as champion three-year-old male over Princess Haya’s and Darley’s Breeders’ Cup Classic (Gr.1) winner Raven’s Pass.
“He was the biggest dream any owner could ever have,” Iavarone said.
In other awards of note, Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (Gr.1) winner Midshipman, who carried the Darley colors of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, gained the Eclipse Award as champion two-year-old male, while Frank Stronach’s Adena Springs and Stronach Stables earned the prizes as outstanding breeder and owner.
In the other Eclipse Award categories, winners were:
Two-year-old filly: Undefeated Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Filly (Gr.1) winner Stardom Bound, who was purchased by IEAH for $5.7 million at the Fasig-Tipton November sale;
Three-year-old filly: Kentucky Oaks (Gr.1) winner Proud Spell, who won the award over Godolphin’s Music Note, the ill-fated Eight Belles, Breeders’ Cup Mile (Gr.1) winner Goldikova and Indian Blessing;
Older female: Undefeated Zenyatta, a daughter of 2002 Dubai World Cup winner Street Cry who, along with Big Brown, were the other finalists for the Horse of the Year title;
Female sprinter: Indian Blessing, the 2007 champion juvenile filly who is being aimed at this year’s Dubai Golden Shaheen by trainer Bob Baffert, who also conditioned Midshipman for his championship campaign. Baffert has now trained ten American champions as well as Dubai World Cup winners Silver Charm and Captain Steve;
Male turf horse: Breeders’ Cup Turf (Gr.1) winner Conduit, also winner of the British classic St. Leger for Ballymacoll Farm and trainer Sir Michael Stoute;
Female turf horse: Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf (Gr.1) winner Forever Together, who prevailed in the voting over Goldikova and Godolphin’s American Grade 1 winner and UAE classic winner Cocoa Beach;
Jockey: Garrett Gomez, who led all American jockeys by mount earnings and took the Eclipse for the second consecutive year;
Apprentice jockey: Pascacio “Paco” Lopez, a native of Mexico who was based in Florida and led all apprentice riders with 171 wins; and
Steeplechase horse: Good Night Shirt.
In addition, Alice Headley Chandler, owner of Mill Ridge Farm in Lexington, Kentucky, was honored with the Eclipse Award of Merit for lifetime achievement in the Thoroughbred industry, while the American Association of Equine Practitioners was given a Special Eclipse Award for its On Call Program of public information at major racing events.
No comments:
Post a Comment