Is anyone sorry Street Sense or Hard Spun did not win the BC Classic?
 

I was rooting for Curlin in the Classic (without a bet on him) because he was the only 3-yr-old not heading immediately to the breeding shed. I think it's pretty cool that the best of the bunch stayed around to run as a 4-yr-old and now pockets $3+ million while establishing himself as the best dirt horse in the world.

--Dunbar

With Curlins succes running as a 4yrold and the failure of Godophin in there own races,will this help reverse the trend of early retirement? Has curlin inhanced his stud value enough to inspire owners to try to inhance there value by racing and taking a shot at the super purses to add to there value and forsaking the extra year or two of stud fees?

It's true that Curlin has had ownership questions since last spring. How did you know back in October that he would not head to the breeding after a possible BC Classic victory?

"Is anyone sorry Street Sense or Hard Spun did not win the BC Classic?"

No. Not at all. Would it have made a difference if either of the two above would have won?

Eric

if anything will keep three year olds around longer, it's the bursting bubble in the breeding business. but first year stallions are still a huge draw, so i don't see any changes in the forseeable future. there's still a lot more money to be made with a top horse in the barn, rather than on the track. and as long as darley is a huge player, they can afford to pay outrageous sums for the best of each bunch.

Yes. We would be thinking that the best US horse from 2007 was in the breeding shed. Now we are thinking that the best US horse of 2007 is also the best dirt horse in the world. And we can at least hope to see him again in the BC Classic. That's a difference.

I didn't know for sure, but at least Curlin did not have his breeding plans locked up ahead of time, like SS, Hard Spun, and Any Given Saturday.

--Dunbar