US Racing / Nick Shiambouros / 11 July 2008 / Leave a comment

Man o'War Stakes marks the start of an amazing tilt at glory for Breeder's Cup winner, Curlin. Nick Shiambouros reports

When Big Brown trailed in last in The Belmont Stakes last month the fallout from that defeat felt like it would linger forever.

But this is horseracing and when Curlin annihilated a stellar field in The Stephen Foster Handicap at Churchill Downs a week later, every racing fan breathed a sigh of relief as this superstar made the headlines for all the right reasons.

This was Curlin's first race since he won The Dubai World Cup in March and trainer Steve Asmussen did a wonderful job to bring him in to this race in superb order following his exertions in Dubai. As previously reported after Curlin won the Breeder's Cup Classic last year he had nothing left to prove but his truly sporting majority owner Jess Jackson decided to campaign him as a four-year-old and that decision so far has been vindicated.

Amazingly, Jackson has decided that Curlin should now be aimed at the Prix de L'Arc De Triomphe in October attempting to become the first horse in the world to win both The Breeder's Cup Classic and the Arc. I must admit that I am amazed that connections are even considering this feat but I am full of anticipation and hope.

Curlin takes his first step towards that goal by running in the Grade 1 Man o'War Stakes at Belmont on Saturday to be run on the turf over 11 furlongs. The field, as you would expect, is very strong with former Breeder's Cup winners Better Talk Now and Red Rocks both taking him on. In addition, Grade 1 winner Grand Couturier and the Godolphin-owned True Case line up. Sudan and Mission Approved make up the rest of the field in one of the strongest renewals of this race I have seen in a long time.

If Curlin is to line up for the Arc then he has probably got to win this race or run very well at the very least. He has been training impressively on the turf so far in his preparation but he is entering the unknown. Currently Curlin trades at [10.5] on the exchange for the Arc and I have had a rare ante-post bet at those odds. Simply put, if he wins easily on Saturday you could be looking at the new favourite for the Arc and in my view I think he will win The Man o'War because of his outstanding tactical speed and pure class.

Racing in America has taken a lot of criticism in recent months but I cant think of a more sporting gesture from any owner anywhere in the world than Jess Jackson's decision to attempt this feat.

If Curlin does line up for the Arc in October I will be there to hopefully see a different kind of history being made. One that will never be repeated.

Tags: Better Talk Now, Big Brown, Breeder’s Cup Classic, Churchill Downs, Curlin, Grand Couturier, Jess Jackson, Man o’War Stakes, Mission Approved, Prix de L’Arc De Triomphe, Red Rocks, Stephen Foster Handicap, Steve Asmussen, Sudan, The Belmont Stakes, The Dubai World Cup, True Case