Good versus Evil.

Jess Jackson, majority owner of Curlin
Big Brown’s camp recent remarks about Curlin inspired me to offer an incentive to get these two great horses to race at the legendary track at the Spa,” Jackson said in a press release. “Both horses are eligible for this race and both have plenty of time to prepare for what would be Thoroughbred racing at its very best and in the name of a great cause. This type of competition between horses is exactly what Thoroughbred racing needs — an event that introduces the excitement and competition of racing to a broader audience. Imagine Horse of the Year Curlin racing against Derby winner Big Brown, on a legendary track.  I would love it, the fans would love it, and the horses would love it.

I am delighted that we are talking about Curlin on the day that Michael Phelps became the most decorated Olympian ever. Great athletes deserve great company. This is what sports is about — the thrill of competition. And it is my belief that Thoroughbred racing is indeed the greatest sport of all time. I made a sportsman’s proposal to Big Brown’s connections this morning to race at Saratoga Race Course in the Grade 1 Woodward on August 30, and they declined the invitation. I am disappointed by the news. I read this morning that Big Brown might be looking for a turf race at Belmont Park, so apparently, his connections are looking at other options this fall. I would ask Big Brown’s camp to consider the prestigious Grade 1, $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup Invitational at Belmont Park on September 27 as an option. It’s a prestigious, prized race on a natural dirt surface at one of the great tracks in the world. Big Brown is a champion Thoroughbred and, most certainly, would be prepared to race at the end of September. Perhaps we could work together to get the Breeder’s Cup to add an incentive to the purse so that a specific charity would get a bigger slice of the pie. This has long been a part of my platform for this industry - bigger purses. Another part of my personal platform is to make charitable contributions. When Barbara and I bought Curlin, we immediately established the Jackson Curlin for Kids Fund whose purpose is to make a difference in the lives of children where Curlin runs or trains. In February of this year, we donated $1 million to The Woods Laboratory for equine and human cancer and infertility research. Plus we give millions to more than 600 charities every year because we believe it is the right thing to do.   We also are aware of IEAH’s involvement with charitable causes, including the current construction of the Ruffian Equine Medical Center across from Belmont Park. We seem to have two great horses and a common purpose. Why not get them together? As to the Breeder’s Cup, it is not part of my current plan for Curlin. I felt it was the sporting thing to do to announce Curlin’s schedule to give fair notice to anyone looking to compete against the reigning Horse of the Year this fall. Our plan is to focus on the Woodward, look to the Jockey Cup Gold Cup, hopefully with Big Brown in the field, and review our plans after that. Ultimately, all of us have to do what is in the best interest of our horse. I wish Big Brown well and hope Curlin has the opportunity to compete against him. It certainly would help the industry and please the fans of both of these majestic horses.

Michael Iavarone, head of IEAH stables
It's disappointing that he's got to require us to run in a race to give money to charity. We're not running in the Woodward, it's never been part of our plan. We'll up the stakes if he wants to run in the Breeders' Cup. We'll come together on some kind of agreement with them to give more to charity. It's the race that should decide a championship, not the Woodward against four horses. Give everybody a chance, Europeans, Big Brown, Commentator. Fifty-thousand dollars to charity is not going to change our tactics.

Richard Dutrow, Trainer of Big Brown
Curlin couldn’t win the Derby, we could. Curlin couldn’t win the Haskell, we could. Curlin got beat by a filly. We haven’t. Our horse is undefeated on grass. Curlin isn’t. I don’t know why people think Curlin is such a good horse. We’re way better than Curlin.

What is wrong with the Woodward? It is a Grade I race on a convential dirt track. Why is the Breeders’ Cup Classic necessarily more important? The Woodward has been run since 1954 and won by Kelso (3 times), Forego (4 times), Affirmed, Seattle Slew, Cigar (twice), Alysheba, Holy Bull, Sword Dancer, Buckpasser, Damascus, Gun Bow, Arts and Letters, Slew o’Gold (twice), Precisionist, Lido Palace (twice), Saint Liam, Ghostzapper, Mineshaft, and Easy Goer. Secretariat lost the Woodward to Prove Out in 1973. Damascus beat Dr. Fager and Buckpasser in the 1967 edition that has been called the “Race of the Century”.