One way to look at things is to say I drove 450 miles round trip over the last 24 hours only to have my heart slightly broken.  Another way to look at things would be to say I drove all that way and was able to get within arms reach of the horse I love like no other.  By now the news is old hat.  Everyone knows what transpired. Curlin put in a game effort in the Grade 1 Man O’ War Stakes but was not able to overcome former Breeder’s Cup Turf champion Red Rocks, ultimately going down in defeat by 2 lengths.  The defeat marked an end to Curlin’s run of 5 consecutive victories.

What happened?  Well for starters, Curlin appeared to break about a half step slow out of the gate.  Two front runners, Sudan and Mission Approved, rocketed to the front and were eyeball to eyeball through early fractions of 22.69 and 42.62.  Red Rocks was settled nicely in third, with Curlin jogging along behind in 4th.

As the field turned for home, Sudan and Mission Approved were fading, as is to be expected when “suicide fractions” are set in the early going.  Red Rocks and Curlin set in for their drives and for a moment it appeared that Curlin was going to blow past Red Rocks for the score.  However, Red Rocks had something left in his tank, and he was able to maintain and even slightly increase his lead on Curlin in the stretch.  Ultimately jockey Robby Albarado stopped urging him with the wire closing fast and with no chance of catching Red Rocks.

Curlin returned from the race and was greeted to applause from many of the 8,000 or so fans in attendance who had come to see the defending Horse of the Year take on the challenge of competing against Grade 1 turf runners for the first time.  I offered my own words to the colt as he stood before us.  It was clear he was unhappy with the outcome.

“That’s okay, boy – we still love you anyway!”

So what happens next?  Well, that’s the million dollar question, isn’t it?  Owner Jess Jackson seems determined to give Curlin a chance to earn a place in history like no other.  Post race comments depict him leaning towards giving Curlin another try on the grass.  I’d just like to take a moment to officially tip my hat to Jackson and company for having the courage to test such waters.  It’s not often you see the top dirt horse in the world leave his preferred surface in search of greater challenges. 

Is the Arc still in the works?  Who knows? I know many were ready to dismiss Curlin as having no chance in the Arc, but I’ll ask folks to consider that if this were any other horse – we’d be saying “wow, he could move forward off that first try.”  With Curlin, the expectation are simply so stratospherically high that we seem to accept nothing but perfection and victory.  I think it’s worth remembering that he had only had one light workout on the grass before wading in against two Breeder’s Cup Turf champions in Red Rocks and Better Talk Now. 

I guess what I’m getting at is this:  Yes, he deserves another chance – and if his connections want to send him to the Arc still – then I say go for it and perhaps work in another turf effort between then and now to get a more solid reading on where he is.  I won’t lie – he didn’t look quite his usual self on the grass – but that could’ve just been the luck of the draw today.  As we often say, they are horses and not machines. 

I was in the paddock area busily trying to snap pictures of him and offer words of encouragement prior to the race.   Amy tells me that it was mentioned over the loudspeakers that Curlin was acting up a bit in the paddock area – which would make sense as it seemingly took forever for him to emerge and do his lap before heading out to the track.  I’ve not been able to find a source on that at the moment, but if one emerges, I’ll add it as a reference to this post. 

I guess all-in-all today just wasn’t Curlin’s day to prevail on the lawn – but that’s certainly not a definitive statement that it’ll never be his day.  He took on a tough group for his first try and fought on valiantly for 2nd.  Isn’t it amazing that Curlin’s ceiling is so high that no matter what the colt takes on, 2nd place feels like a disappointment?  I think that really says something about how amazing he is.  

Great horses lose races – even Secretariat knew defeat.  Curlin will be back – and if he doesn’t bounce back on the grass, look at it this way – he’s still the world’s best dirt horse.  Only one horse in the world can say that.  Greener pastures await, be they on turf or on the main track.  Curlin, his connections, and his loyal fans can hold their heads high with pride and rest assured that he gave a good account of himself.  For the time being though, you have to take your hat off to Red Rocks, who ran his heart out today and looked every bit the part of a Breeder’s Cup turf champion.

Click on the “more” tag below if you’d like to see some of the photos we shot today of Curlin.  It was beyond description to be so close to him that you could almost reach out and touch him.  Hopefully there will be many more opportunities to see him before his career is through.  I’ll follow him anywhere.  France, Japan, you name it and I’ll go see him if  humanly possible.

Curliin emerging from the tunnel and stepping onto the track at Belmont Jockey Robby Albarado sits confidently atop the 2007 Horse of the Year

Trainer Steve Asmussen watching Curlin go to post in the Man O' War.

Curlin after the Man O' War

Curlin after the Man O' War #2

Curlin heads back to the paddock after finishing 2nd in the Man O' War