Curlin runs away with Horse of the Year

01/23/08

The headline in the Daily Racing Form said it all: "It's Curlin in a runaway."

Curlin, bred by Fares Farm, received a pair of Eclipse Awards at the 37th annual affair at the Beverly Wilshire Four Seasons on Jan. 21. The grand son of Smart Strike not only was an overwhelming choice as best 3-year-old male performer of 2007, he also ran away with the balloting for Horse of the Year.

Voters representing the Daily Racing Form, the National Turf Writers' Association and the NTRA gave Curlin a near-unanimous 262 of the 266 votes cast as top sophomore, and 249 of 266 votes for Horse of the Year. He became the first 3-year-old to be named Horse of the Year since Point Given in 2001.

Curlin went to the post nine times in 2007, never finishing worse than third. He capped off a six-victory campaign with an electrifying victory in the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1), the race that cemented his two championships. Along the way, he also captured the Arkansas Derby (G2), Preakness (G1) and Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1), earning $5,102,800 for the year, most of any horse in North America. As a result of Curlin's great success, Fares Farm finished second behind Adena Springs in the Eclipse balloting for Breeder of the Year.