Ron Correll
Senior columnist

Reigning Horse of the Year Curlin ran through the “Graveyard of Champions” to take the 55th running of the Grade 1 Woodward at Saratoga Race Course in upstate New York. The racetrack has a reputation of no matter how good a horse is, the horse will fall victim to the track. Saturday afternoon, Curlin conquered the track and six rivals in the mile-and-an-eighth race over a fast surface.

Past the Point and Wanderin Boy rushed from the gate and blistered the first quarter-mile in :22.89 seconds. Curlin broke evenly but was carried out by Divine Park and brushed with Out of Control on the first turn. He settled in fourth coming off the turn outside of Divine Park.

Divine Park brushed with Curlin again at the five-eighths pole and Curlin apparently had enough of that as he started to close the four-length gap that Past the Point and Wanderin Boy had opened up. Jockey Robby Albarado had Curlin in another gear at the three-eighths pole and Divine Park could not go with him.

Curlin was motoring around the second turn and quickly disposed of Wanderin Boy and pulled even with Past the Point at the quarter pole. Albarado hit Curlin a couple of times right-handed and he had the lead by the eighth pole. Albarado showed Curlin the whip the rest of the way and the colt maintained a length advantage to the wire. He stopped the timer in 1:49.34 and the official margin of victory was a length and a quarter. Wanderin Boy held on for third.

Albarado was on cloud nine following he race. “He was great! He is a consummate professional now. It was great for the people to see Curlin in New York.

“The pace was very, very rapid, but Curlin got away in good order. I was little wider than I wanted to be around the first turn, but he gave me an indication on the backside that he would be there for me. We were between two horses and getting bounced around a little, but he is a big horse and he handled it.

“He knows when they cheer for him. He gets swollen up with confidence. Racing needs a star like Curlin, and today he showed what he could do. For me, today was great healing from last week’s Travers.” 

Albarado was abroard Mambo in Seattle in the Travers and they lost the race by a nose to Colonel John.

“Here at Saratoga, if you can kick on from the quarter-pole home it’s hard to run down any horse, much less these Grade 1 horses. They stretched the race out pretty good. I had to make a little longer run with Curlin than I wanted,” Albarado said.

“I’m going to give credit to the horse who ran second (Past the Point). He ran a huge race to sustain himself after those quick fractions. Curlin got by him and then let up a tad. He’s getting smarter as he gets older.

“He always exceeds our expectations and puts in a great performance. He spoils us with his brilliance.

“He hadn’t been leaving the gate real well his last couple of starts. He left a little sluggish in the Stephen Foster and the Man o’ War, so today I wanted to be sure he was standing good and he got away equally with everyone, and he did. So that was the first step I needed. On the first turn I was wide and was between two horses. On the backside, he tugged a bit, let me know he was there and on the far turn, they were still far enough in front of him that I needed to get him moving. Not aggressively call on him, but just get him moving. And he did it. Like I said, he exceeds our expectations every time he runs. Today he showed his versatility running down some very nice horses.

“At the three-eighths pole, when I started squeezing on him, he really started reaching out, striding out. He was making up ground fast on the turn and I thought I had a shot at them, knowing how fast they went up front. I don’t like it, but I had to hit him a couple of times, just to get him going. He’s getting older, a little lackadasical. I just spanked him a couple of time, he got by that horse and he eased up the last couple of strides. It was fine with me … .”

Jess Jackson, majority owner of Curlin, saw the Woodward as an important race for his horse.  “Aside from the Dubai race and the Breeders’ Cup, this is the most important race we’ve won because of the historic nature of this race and its premier contribution to Curlin’s legacy. With all the superstition and the `Graveyard of Champions,’ I was glad the horse showed what he is and we won. It was very important. Good horses like Man o’ War and Secretariat had problems here. That’s an honor roll of some of the famous and the greatest. I’m glad he showed he was up to it.

“We love Saratoga. Now that Curlin has been on it and has raced on it, he will be even better for it if he ever comes back. I doubt he will because he has a happy fatherhood ahead of him.

“Thank you for giving us this fabulous race. It certainly adds to his legacy.”

Jackson had some thoughts on facing Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Big Brown.  “It would be great for racing, great for fans and great for the industry. But my understanding is that Big Brown is going to the breeding shed after this year, so time is running out. And that may be true for Curlin. Curlin has genes that this industry needs: distance and stamina. He has no genetic short-comings.”

“The perfect scenario would be to run in the best races, the Jockey Club Gold Cup and the Breeders’ Cup, and then go overseas to the Japan Cup. But that will be hard to press into a four-week schedule. We’ll wait and see. He loves Belmont and now I think he loves Saratoga.

Curlin returned $2.70, $2.40 and $2.10. Past the Point paid $13.80 and $6.40. Wanderin Boy paid $3.50. The $2 exacta paid $41.80 and the $2 trifecta paid $185.

Curlin’s took home $300,000 for the win and moves his lifetime earnings to $9,796,800, second only to two-time Horse of the year Cigar, whose career earnings were $9,999,815.

FIRST DEFENCE ROMPS IN FOREGO

Forego favorite Lucky Island stumbled, then took up after being pinched back at the start and that opened the door for First Defence to romp in the 29th running of the Forego at Saratoga.

First Defence was involved in a heated battle early with Eternal Star and Bold Start as they rattled off fractions of :22.53 and :44.61 for the quarter and half-mile in the seven-furlong affair. The son of Unbridled’s Song surged to the lead at the three-eighths pole and then shook loose in upper stretch to draw away under steady urging from Channing Hill to win by six-and-three-quarter lengths in 1:21.55.

Greeley’s Conquest was second and Ferocious Star was third. Lucky Island, who was last early, made a five-wide move leaving the turn but then flattened out in the stretch to finish sixth in the 10-horse field.

Winning trainer Bobby Frankel liked what he saw of First Defence. ”He ran like we always thought he could run. I was shocked that he ran as good as he did. He has been stopping in his last two races. I was waiting for him to start slowing down, but he kept on going. As fast as he is today, he’ll probably go right to the Breeders’ Cup. I was concerned about the 1-post, but he broke with the field and dragged him to the lead. Obviously, he likes this track.”

Hill, who won his first Grade 1 and also had his first Saratoga stakes win, was happy with his trip. “I tried to keep him a little off (the rail) on the backside because Johnny (Velazquez aboard Eternal Star) gave us so much room. Coming to the three-eighths pole, I figured everyone was going to have to start running to catch us. What a nice horse! He went 44 like he was going 47. He just cruised around there. I have to thank Mr. Frankel and the owners so much for putting me on this horse.

“This is my first Grade 1 and my first stakes win of any kind at Saratoga. It’s great! This is awesome! Again, I have to thank the connections for putting me on.”

Kiaran McLaughlin, trainer of favored Lucky Island, understood what happened. “Obviously, the start. Alan (Garcia, jockey) said he didn’t break well. He stumbled and then got clobbered when he got up. So, he lost all chance.”

First Defence paid $17.60, $9 and $5.80. Greeley’s Conquest paid $30.20 and $18.40. Ferocious returned $10.60 to show. The $2 exacta paid $552 and the $2 trifecta paid $7,768.

First Defence is owned by Juddmonte Farm and was winless in three career starts at Saratoga Race Course coming into Saturday’s race