HORSE RACING

• Curlin wraps up Horse of the Year

  
  

  By Don Agriss, Horse Racing Editor

  Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - This year's balloting for 2008 Horse of the Year is complete and defending title-holder Curlin is the unanimous choice. The four-year-old colt blew away the competition by doing the same thing against 11 rivals in Saturday's $6 million Dubai World Cup.

  Curlin, ridden by Robby Albarado, posted a 7 3/4 length win in the 1 1/4 mile race at Nad Al Sheba Racecourse. The margin of victory was the most ever posted in the world's richest race. The final time of 2:00.15 was the third fastest, less than a second off the record of 1:59.50 held by Dubai Millennium.

  Owned by Stonestreet and Midnight Cry Stables, Curlin stalked the pace from the outside and had not trouble passing the leader at the top of the stretch. None of the rivals could mount a challange to Curlin on the sand track.

  "It's a great privilege for me to be on him," said Albarado. "What a horse. I just show up and ride him and get the glory but everybody works so hard but I am the one that?s seen. He does it all on race day. It's easy when you ride a great horse like Curlin."

  Trained by Steve Asmussen, Curlin began his 2008 campaign with a solid win in a stakes race in February in Dubai. He has won four straight stakes,including the Jockey Club Gold Cup and the Breeders' Cup Classic.

  "He's spoiled us with his consistency and brilliance," noted Asmussen. "Since his Breeders' Cup Classic win, he's shown us that he can do things quicker and I think he's proved that again tonight (Saturday). For someone from a racing family to have the best horse in the world is really awesome. It's a dream come true."

  Asmussen will ship Curlin back to Keeneland in Kentucky on April 6 and then decide a race schedule.

  As long as the horse remains sound he should surpass Cigar's earnings mark of $9.9 million. After eight wins in 11 career starts, Curlin has earned $8.8 million. A win in this year's Breeders' Cup Classic alone will put him over the top.

  03/29 16:21:53 ET