Smart Strike took a quantum leap to put himself atop the general sires list, and for the fourth straight year, to remain Mr. Prospector’s leading son at stud when his son, Curlin, overtook Lawyer Ron to win the Jockey Club Gold Cup.

Curlin capped off a phenomenal day for his sire, leaving racing historians scratching their heads trying to recall if ever another stallion sired three Grade 1 stakes winners on one card as did Smart Strike last Sunday at Belmont Park. 

Earlier on the card, Fabulous Strike took the Grade 1 Vosburgh, making every pole a winning one and setting himself up as a probable favorite in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint.

Then just to prove you can strike gold digging in on the turf, still another golden son of Smart Strike, English Channel, created his own racing luck and powered through on the rail to take the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic for the second consecutive year. 

English Channel is almost certain to be favored in the Breeders’ Cup Turf with this tenacious win added onto his already impressive resume.

Curlin stepped up to beat the best older horse in training with his victory over the Pletcher-trained Lawyer Ron.

In Curlin’s fourth lifetime start, he was an impressive third in Street Sense’s Kentucky Derby.

Then two weeks later, he denied Street Sense a chance to compete for the Triple Crown when he defeated that rival in a stirring stretch run in the Preakness.

It took the history-making effort of the sensational filly, Rags to Riches, to stave off Curlin’s quest to add a Belmont Stakes victory to trainer Steve Asmussen’s laurels.

Based on strong performances by several other leading contenders for the Breeders’ Cup Classic, there will not likely be a clear cut favorite for the Oct. 27 World Thoroughbred Championship’s crown jewel.

If Curlin were to win the Classic, he would become not only the 3-year -old champion, but in all probability, take Horse of the Year honors as well.

The same can be said for Street Sense or Hard Spun; all three of these outstanding colts have prior records strong enough to earn Eclipse awards in both categories with a win in the Classic.

The California-based 3-year-old Tiago, half brother to 2005 Kentucky Derby winner Giacomo, is not to be ignored off his Grade 1 Goodwood Stakes win at Santa Anita. He beat older horses to become the first 3-year-old to win the Goodwood since Tiznow won this race in 2000.

Tiznow went on to be the only horse to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic in consecutive years. 

Lawyer Ron was begging Johnny Velazquez to attach the pacesetter Brother Bobby early in the Jockey Club Gold Cup and you can be sure Todd Pletcher will not instruct Johnny V to throttle him down again.

Be prepared to see Lawyer Ron run a catch me if you can race in the Classic. If Larry Jones puts Hard Spun in the race you can be sure that he and Lawyer Ron will set quick early fractions and this plays into the favor of Street Sense, Curlin and Tiago.

Championship races always have the potential to be memorable and Monmouth Park is poised to deliver a card no racing fan will want to miss. Try to get tickets.

You can take Amtrak out of Albany to Penn Station; get on New Jersey Transit to the Monmouth Park Station in Oceanport, N.J. and arrive at the back gate to Monmouth Park.

This is a beautiful historic track and you will see many of the horses you watched at our own Saratoga meet competing for the highest honors in racing against the best horses from around the globe on Cup Day.

If you go, I beg of you to look closely at all of the intricacies of this magnificent sport. Picture how many farms, how many beautiful green acres it required to produce these champions from the near quarter of a million world wide foals these great horses emerged from.

Remember when you throw your support to politicians to be careful not to allow for them to displace traditional horse racing. It is vitally important to preserving our precious landscapes, our history, our culture, and for the shear pleasure of enjoying this majestic sport. 

Best of Racing Luck—

Marilyn Lane