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Curlin Vying for Big Brown Face-Off at Breeders' Cup
Curlin's next start will be at the Stephen Foster Handicap. (AP Images)"]
The Gr. 1 $750,000 Stephen Foster Handicap on June 14 at Churchill Downs has been confirmed as Horse of the Year Curlin’s next appearance. The 4-year-old colt hasn’t started since opening the 2008 season in Dubai where he scored a pair of impressive victories, including his record-setting 7 ¾ length winning performance in the $6M Dubai World Cup Classic.
In an attempt to provide legitimate competition for the reigning champion, the management of Churchill has offered to supplement the purse to a record $1 million if a previous Grade 1 winner competes in the 1 1/8 mile main track event. The Stephen Foster is the feature attraction on “Stephen Foster Super Saturday,” an outstanding card of racing that includes several prestigious stakes races and total purses that will exceed $2 million in 2008.
The lucrative undercard includes the Gr. 2 $300,000 Fleur de Lis Handicap, Gr. 2 $200,000 Jefferson Cup Stakes, Gr. 3 $200,000 Regret Stakes, the Gr. 3 $175,000 Northern Dancer Stakes and the Gr. 3 $150,000 Mint Julep Handicap.
The nomination sheet to the Foster isn’t lacking in Grade 1 talent. Besides the star of the show Curlin, other Grade 1 winners nominated to the Stephen Foster include 2003 Foster winner Perfect Drift, 2008 Gr. 1 Pimlico Special Handicap and 2007 Gr. 1 Pacific Classic Stakes hero Student Council along with previous Grade 1 winners Great Hunter and Brass Hat. Einstein, conqueror of the 2008 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic Stakes is the most recent star to capture a Grade 1 event on the impressive list.
A victory by Curlin in the Stephen Foster could set up a confrontation with 3-year-old sensation Big Brown in this fall’s Breeders’ Cup Classic. If Big Brown continues his winning ways in the 140th Belmont Stakes and becomes racing’s 13th undefeated Triple Crown winner, his connections have indicated their intention to start the sport’s latest overachiever in the Classic. Curlin’s team has talked about a worldwide tour in the fall which would eliminate North America’s biggest race from his schedule, but a potential showdown with a Triple Crown winner could change their plans and provide racing fans with something special to look forward to.
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