BackTrack: Curlin, Benny the Bull Shine in Dubai

America's fragile foreign balance of trade received a $7-million boost when Horse of the Year Curlin  led a charge of three U.S. victories at the fabulous Dubai World Cup meeting. The lion's share of the prize money ($3.6 million) and glory went to Curlin, who posted a scintillating 7 3/4-length victory in the showcase race, the Dubai World Cup—Sponsored by Emirates Airline (G1). The giant son of Smart Strike bullied his 11 rivals into submission as he powered clear in the stretch, with commentator Terry Spargo calling the victory a TKO. 

Certainly those in his slipstream looked punch drunk as Robby Albarado eased down on the chestnut, who easily conquered the 80° temperature and high humidity. Defying the outside draw—joining Roses in May as the only previous winner to break from post 12—Curlin lay up with the early pace set by Well Armed and Asiatic Boy. As the trio turned into the three-furlong home straight, Albarado, who has ridden Curlin, a 4-year-old colt out of the Deputy Minister mare Sherriff's Deputy, in all but his first race, pressed the turbo, and there was an immediate response. 

The 4-11 favorite pulled steadily clear, the only slight disappointment being that he failed to match the ill-fated Dubai Millennium's 2000 track record of 1:59.50 by 0.65 of a second. Nevertheless, he beat Dubai Millennium's winning distance of six lengths impressively enough, with Albarado seemingly having a little up his sleeve. 

The South African-trained Asiatic Boy stayed on well to take second place, with Well Armed a neck away third and A. P. Arrow only three-quarters of a length back in fourth place. 

It was as comprehensive a win of the world's most valuable race as you could expect to see and confirmed Curlin's status as the world's best Thoroughbred. However, local handicapper Melvin Day tempered enthusiasm for the performance by pointing out that none of Curlin's rivals could be given a rating above 118. He rated the victory worthy only of his current rating of 129. "The first four all ran to their ratings, which is satisfying for handicappers," Day said. "But there wasn't anything in the field in a position to give him a real race. You can't knock him, but he didn't show me the 'wow' factor." 

Some, it seems, are never satisfied, but Day insisted the performance lagged behind that of Dubai Millennium, who rated 139, and inaugural winner Cigar (132). For those connected with Curlin, however, it was a performance of majesty and style, following elegantly in the shadow of the extraordinary fireworks display that bisected the fourth and fifth races of the night. 

Curlin will ship back to Keeneland April 6, where he will eventually resume light training on the Polytrack surface. Happily, Curlin came out of his race unscathed, unlike so many previous winners of this tough race, and took his career earnings to $8,807,800.

"He was spot on," trainer Steve Asmussen said. "He has spoiled us with his consistency. He stepped out of the stall in very good order and was handy the whole way, and we hope it continues. 

"For someone from a racing family to have the best horse in the world under my care is a dream come true. We had a great amount of faith in our animal, even though we had a lot of concern about the draw. 

"From Keeneland we'll plan a course for the second half of the year. It will be decided collectively and based on what's in the best interest of the horse and his legacy." 

For Albarado it was the best win of his life, not to mention the most lucrative. "It was as easy as it looked; he is such a special horse," Albarado said. "I don't want to take anything away from the field, but he has shown he is the best horse in the world. 

"He was on the outside coming down the stretch, where he likes to be, and when I called on him, he was there. This is the highlight of my career. I'm sure with the team behind him he can go on. Steve (Asmussen), (his assistant) Scott Blasi, Carlos (Carmen Rosas, exercise rider), and all the team have done a fantastic job with him." 

Principal owner Jess Jackson, 78, praised Sheikh Mohammed's stance on medication-free racing and said he was anxious to start Curlin's 4-year-old career in this environment. "In America, we are lax in enforcing the rules that exist, not just in ethics, but in medications," Jackson said. "We call them medications—they are drugs. 

"To avoid confrontation on the issue, we get into discussions about the amounts and how much can be tolerated. We shouldn't tolerate anything. I'm a believer in zero toleration, and that's a reason why we were racing in Dubai. 

"Sheikh Mohammed and the Maktoum family have been extremely supportive of breeding and racing in America, and this was a personal way to thank him." 

Well Armed, ridden by Aaron Gryder and trained by Eoin Harty, stayed on well to be third just behind Asiatic Boy, the latter capping a wonderful night for trainer Mike de Kock. A. P. Arrow gave the Paulson family, who of course owned inaugural 1996 Dubai World Cup winner Cigar, a great thrill. 

The huge disappointment of the race was Godolphin's Jalil, the $9.7-million yearling purchase at Keeneland in 2005. He was unbeaten in three races at Nad al Sheba this year and was the second-favorite under Frankie Dettori. But he just couldn't live with Curlin's class and faded to seventh. "Jalil was too young and inexperienced," Dettori said. "It was a year too early for him, and we will have to wait for next year." 

Nevertheless, the colt, campaigned with limited success on grass in England in 2006 and 2007, will remain on dirt now and could go to the U.S. later this year. 

Richard Dutrow Jr., who chose to remain in Florida, where his colt Big Brown  won the Florida Derby (G1), making him a leading hope for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1), landed a stunning double with Diamond Stripes in the Godolphin Mile—Sponsored by Etisalat (G2) and Benny the Bull in the Dubai Golden Shaheen—Sponsored by Gulf News (G1), both horses ridden by Edgar Prado. Diamond Stripes a 5-year-old gray/roan gelding by Notebook—Romantic Summer, by On to Glory, is owned under the Four Roses Thoroughbreds banner by Lebanese-born brothers Abbas and Kassem Masri, who live in Florida.  

"We were not wrong in our purchase," Abbas Masri said. "He has proved to us today that he is best suited to a mile. I am so excited about this win. My brother is watching in Florida, and he will be thrilled, too. We will be back next year." 

Prado, whose mount was headed by Elusive Warning at the furlong pole, stayed on well and was an easy 1 1/4-length winner from Godolphin's 4-year-old Elusive Warning, with Don Renato the same distance away in third and Zakocity a nose back in fourth place. 

"He tries hard and that is his quality," Prado said. "The race developed beautifully, but my instructions were clear. I had to stick to the leaders, and then make a break after the turn." Elusive Warning's second placing under Kerrin McEvoy—No. 1 jockey Dettori had chosen the unplaced — as his mount—was the closest Godolphin came to a win on their big night. For the second year running, they went home from the World Cup night to their Al Quoz stables, five miles away, empty-handed. 

In the Dubai Golden Shaheen, Benny the Bull, a 5-year-old son of Lucky Lionel out of the Birdonthewire mare Comet Cat, blitzed the opposition down the middle of the straight six furlongs, coming home strongly under Prado. There was some interference on the far rail between runner-up Idiot Proof, under David Flores, and third-placed Star Crowned, ridden by Michael Kinane. Stewards allowed the placings to remain unaltered. 

American sprinters had won seven of the last eight runnings of this race, and with five runners in this edition there was little doubt the prize would go across the Atlantic Ocean. Barbecue Eddie, the eventual fourth, couldn't quite make his customary early bid for glory and was beaten a total of five lengths. 

But nothing could live with Benny the Bull's final charge. He won in a time of 1:08.70, just outside Big Jag's 2000 record. Benny the Bull is owned by IEAH Stables, Greg James, Andrew I. Cohen, and Pegasus Holding Group Stables. IEAH Stables had another big winner on the day with Big Brown in South Florida.

Prado said after the Golden Shaheen, "He is a very nice horse with phenomenal speed. He has proven he can run against the best in the world. Every time I asked something from him he responded. He is all business."

Dutrow's assistant, Michelle Nevin, reported the following day that both horses had come out of their races well and would ship back to New York April 2. Benny the Bull will go for the Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1), while Diamond Stripes will be aimed at the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile. 

Flores said of Idiot Proof, who earned $400,000 for his second-place finish, "I had to ask him for a bit more. We nearly ran a new track record, so I am very happy." 

Kinane was an unhappy jockey, especially after failing to reverse the placings. "I think we ran about 6 1/2 furlongs," he said. "They brought me from the stands rails to the far rail. I felt if we could have run straight up, I would have finished second. Overall, it was a good run." 

Diabolical, the multiple graded stakes dirt winner in America bought by Godolphin at the end of last year with the intention of ending the stable's barren streak in this race, was another failure for the home team, trailing in seventh. 

"He tracked good and traveled well in the race," Dettori said, "but was disappointing in the second half. He might want farther." 

De Kock, five of whose six runners on the night earned him $6.3 million (enough to win the English trainers' championship in a normal year), also landed a double, with Honour Devil in the UAE Derby—Sponsored by Al Naboodah (G2) and with the filly Sun Classique in the Dubai Sheema Classic (G1). The 44-year-old South African—his fellow countryman Herman Brown made it three wins on the night for South Africa, matching the trio of U.S. victories, with 50-1 outsider Jay Peg in the Dubai Duty Free (G1)—has been a revelation since tackling the Dubai Carnival over the past four years, during which he has been leading foreign trainer each season.

De Kock, who has been champion trainer in South Africa five times, plans to concentrate his activities on Dubai and England in the future, with raids to the U.S. not out of the question. He will be taking his team of 30 horses to Newmarket once they have completed a month's quarantine. 

Honour Devil, a 4-year-old Argentine-bred son of Honour and Glory—Diamond Fitz, by Fitzcarraldo, was followed home by another de Kock runner, Royal Vintage, with Godolphin's filly Cocoa Beach beaten eight lengths into third place. Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa's Honour Devil, like Asiatic Boy, was partnered by Johnny Murtagh, the new jockey for Aidan O'Brien's powerful Ballydoyle team in Ireland. 

Murtagh, 37, wasted little time in making his mark in his new job, landing a triple at the Curragh in Ireland the following day, two of the wins, on Georgebernardshaw and Poet being for O'Brien. Murtagh replaced the disgraced Kieren Fallon, 43, who failed a drug test for the second time in France last August. Fallon's appeal failed, and he will not be allowed to resume his career until September 2009, after being banned for 18 months for cocaine abuse. 

Honour Devil and Royal Vintage will both travel to England, from where they will launch raids to America. "That was a great result and put the cherry on the season for us," de Kock said. "The Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) is the long-term plan for Honour Devil, although this year he could be aimed at the Dirt Mile. 

"Taking nothing away from Honour Devil, Royal Vintage's two previous races got to him. He could make a Dubai World Cup horse next year." 

De Kock's night improved further when Sun Classique, owned by Lionel Cohen and Warne Rippon and ridden by South African jockey Kevin Shea, waltzed home in the ultra-competitive Dubai Sheema Classic. The winning time of 2:27.45 was just five-hundredths outside the track record. The Australian-bred filly beat Hong Kong's star horse Viva Pataca by 2 3/4 lengths with France's Doctor Dino three-quarters of a length away third, Germany's Quijano fourth, and Europe's Youmzain fifth to showcase the international nature of the Dubai World Cup meeting. 

Sun Classique will be earning more air miles in the coming months with visits to Hong Kong for the Queen Elizabeth II Cup (HK-I), to England for the Nassau Stakes (Eng-I) and the Sun Chariot Stakes, and a possible visit to Chicago for the Arlington Million (gr. IT) in between her English engagements. 

"She is unbelievable," de Kock said of Sun Classique, who is by Fuji Kiseki out of the Last Tycoon mare Elfenjer. "She just had to keep going, and we have always believed in her abilities. She couldn't have written the script better. 

"She likes to take her time, and once she gets out, she flies off and there is no stopping her. There is a lot more to come from her, and she deserves every bit of it. We South Africans are known for our ability to log the air miles. I've always wanted her to run in Hong Kong, and then we will head on to the U.K., and then even Chicago." 

There was a fairy tale result to the Dubai Duty Free after Jay Peg led early, was headed, and then defied a slipping saddle to battle back to a half-length victory over Darjina, with Archipenko a nose away in third and Japan's Vodka fourth. South African-bred Jay Peg, by Camden Park—Laptop Lady, by Al Mufti, was the 50-1 outsider and beat the field in 1:46.20. Jay Peg was ridden by South African jockey Anton Marcus, whose brother, Basil, the seven-time champion jockey of Hong Kong, bought the horse as a yearling and trained him in South Africa. He is co-owned by their eldest brother Selwyn, a seafood distributor in Durban. The remaining co-owners are Marsh Shirtliff, Etienne Braun, and Paul Loomes. 

Jay Peg is now trained in Dubai by South African Herman Brown, and the victory completed a great night for the Rainbow Nation. Basil Marcus, who also rode in England in 1990 and 2000, said, "I am absolutely delighted, as the horse won the (Bloodstock South Africa Cape) Guineas and the (Investec Cape) Derby (both G1) for me back home. Anton rode him in the Guineas, but Ryan Moore would have ridden him here, but for deciding to ride Linngari (unplaced). 

"I told Herman that whatever he had done, the horse looked fabulous. I didn't notice the saddle slipping, but apparently it happened quite early on. Anton got over from his outside draw and was floating along at the head of the field, controlling the pace. 

"He was headed, and then came back. This is a great horse, and he could be better next year when he is 5. He is exceptionally sound and will remain in Dubai now."