Drvmb1ggl3
Apr. 1, 2008, 01:06 PM
Well, I guess it was only a matter of time, but it sucks that they didn't let him finish out the year, I mean he's already missed a big part of the breeding season.
From the Racing Post....
Curlin Retired
In a surprising announcment today from Dubai, Jess Jackson, owner of recent Dubai World Cup winner, Curlin, announced that the world's number one ranked horse was being retired to stud immediately. In a press conference from the luxury Burq Al Arab hotel, Jackson said that "This horse has nothing left to prove" and that there was little reason to keep the horse in training. The deal to retire Curlin was apparently brokered over the last several days following his win in the World's richest race on Saturday.
The deal itself represents a groundbreaking agreement whereby the colt will be co-shared by the world's two largest breeding operations, and often fierce competitors, Coolmore and Darley. The exact specifics of the deal were not revealed, but it is believed that Curlin will stand at Darley's historic Jonabell farm in Kentucky during the Northern Hemisphere breeding season and at Coolmore's Australian base of operations, in the Hunter Valley in NSW during the southern hemisphere season. Both Sheihk Mohammed, owner of Darley Stud and John Magnier the leader of Coolmore's racing empire were on hand for the press conference and at one point shook hands and embraced warmly, a symbolic gesture which many believe signals an end to the at times atagonistic rivalry that has existed between the two camps. Remarking on the deal, Jackson said, "it really shows you the power of this horse, that he can bring such adverseries together like that, he truly is an amazing animal both on and off the track".
Curlin's trainer, Steve Asmussen, reached at his home in Texas, said he was sad that horse would no longer race, but concured with Jackson that he had nothing left to prove. "We were at a loss as to where we could run him next, he's just too good", said Asmussen. "We thought about entering him in the Grand National on Saturday", but he stated the late entry fee of ₤10,000 (around $21,000) was prohibitive, "we just don't have that kind of cash... no pun intended", he added with a smile, in an obvious reference to his brother, former jockey Cash Asmussen. He also said Curlin doesn't like British food.
The imposing chestnut colt will spend the next several months in Dubai resting and doing some sightseeing before he will go into quarintine in preperation for the trip to Australia to begin the breeding season in August.
From the Racing Post....
Curlin Retired
In a surprising announcment today from Dubai, Jess Jackson, owner of recent Dubai World Cup winner, Curlin, announced that the world's number one ranked horse was being retired to stud immediately. In a press conference from the luxury Burq Al Arab hotel, Jackson said that "This horse has nothing left to prove" and that there was little reason to keep the horse in training. The deal to retire Curlin was apparently brokered over the last several days following his win in the World's richest race on Saturday.
The deal itself represents a groundbreaking agreement whereby the colt will be co-shared by the world's two largest breeding operations, and often fierce competitors, Coolmore and Darley. The exact specifics of the deal were not revealed, but it is believed that Curlin will stand at Darley's historic Jonabell farm in Kentucky during the Northern Hemisphere breeding season and at Coolmore's Australian base of operations, in the Hunter Valley in NSW during the southern hemisphere season. Both Sheihk Mohammed, owner of Darley Stud and John Magnier the leader of Coolmore's racing empire were on hand for the press conference and at one point shook hands and embraced warmly, a symbolic gesture which many believe signals an end to the at times atagonistic rivalry that has existed between the two camps. Remarking on the deal, Jackson said, "it really shows you the power of this horse, that he can bring such adverseries together like that, he truly is an amazing animal both on and off the track".
Curlin's trainer, Steve Asmussen, reached at his home in Texas, said he was sad that horse would no longer race, but concured with Jackson that he had nothing left to prove. "We were at a loss as to where we could run him next, he's just too good", said Asmussen. "We thought about entering him in the Grand National on Saturday", but he stated the late entry fee of ₤10,000 (around $21,000) was prohibitive, "we just don't have that kind of cash... no pun intended", he added with a smile, in an obvious reference to his brother, former jockey Cash Asmussen. He also said Curlin doesn't like British food.
The imposing chestnut colt will spend the next several months in Dubai resting and doing some sightseeing before he will go into quarintine in preperation for the trip to Australia to begin the breeding season in August.