The trainer knew his horse needed to run, he was at that point where mere training would sour his competitive juices so Asmussen acquiesced to run his champion in spite of the 128 pound weight assignment.   Curlin carried the heavy impost to an easy victory, bringing his total earnings to $9,396,800. In the Northern Dancer Stakes, Pyro put Steve in the winners circle and earlier in the week Ocean Colors, a two-year-old daughter of Winning Colors won impressively for him at first asking. On Belmont Day, the Asmussen trained J Be K won the Woody Stephens Stakes.  Steve Asmussen has for years won record numbers of races, last year he had his first Horse of the Year, this year he added the Dubai World Cup to his trophy case and before the year ends he well might have French ink stenciled to his prestigious accomplishments. 

Curlin is scheduled to work on the turf at Churchill next week and if he displays what is expected, you can anticipate that he will run on July 12, in either Belmont’s Man o’ War Turf Stakes or on the grass in the Arlington Handicap. His next race after that could be the Arlington Million and if preliminaries go well, Curlin may go to France to train at Chantilly, then to Longchamp to prep in the Prix Foy for the October 5th Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. A success there would definitively prove to the world that Curlin is the best horse in training. We know Jess Jackson is a real sportsman and Steve is being encouraged to go to France by his older brother Cash, who won the Arc in 1991 aboard Suave Dancer and was four times victorious in the French Derby.  In all, Cash won fifty-one Group One Stakes in France and was the leading jockey in that country five times.  The connections are there to carry forth and Curlin is predisposed to deliver. His sire, Smart Strike is also the sire of English Channel, last year’s Turf Horse of the Year in North America. 

All of this is exciting and wonderful for the WORLD of racing but not so favorable to the American scene. The Breeders’ Cup committee has to be concerned and it is disappointing to learn we will not see Curlin race in Saratoga for a second straight season. The warning flags are whipping in the wind and we can either choose to correct our numerous negative issues in the racing industry or update our passports and head abroad to see the finest racing in the world. 

Since beginning this column I have begged for Saratogians to take note of the perils in American racing.  The problems continue to grow while the rest of the world is watching and benefiting from our mistakes. The Saratoga we know will become unrecognizable if we allow for racing to stay on the skids.  The world likes our luster, shall we give it up?

Marilyn Lane, a freelance writer, has a lifelong association with horses. Her experience includes more than 20 years as an owner, trainer and breeder of thoroughbreds. She was an assistant trainer to Hall of Fame trainer Jack Van Berg during Alysheba’s racing career. You can reach her at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it