CURLIN ON BRINK OF MAKING HISTORY.

If Curlin wins this evening he will break the record for stakes earned, the value of the Jockey Club Gold Cup is $750,000


TOP 5 NORTH AMERICAN-TRAINED EARNERS

1. Cigar (Bill Mott) $9.99m(19 wins from 33 starts)
2. Curlin (Steve Asmussen) $9.80m (10 from 14)
3. Skip Away (Sonny Hine) $9.62m (18 from 38)
4. Invasor (Kiaran McLaughlin) $7.80m (11 from 12)
5. Pleasantly Perfect (Richard Mandella) $7.79m (9 from 18)

Reigning Horse of the Year Curlin became thoroughbred racing's first $10 million horse by winning Saturday's $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park. The $450,000 winner's check brings Curlin's lifetime earnings to $10,246,800, surpassing Cigar's record of $9,999,815.

Yes well done to Curlin and connections $10M, would make a nice dent in my overdraft.

CURLIN became the biggest prize-money earner in North American racing history on Saturday when hebecame the first horse to top the $10 million mark with victory in the Jockey Club Gold Cup.

Running on a dirt track turned sloppy by heavy rain, the four-year-old son of Smart Strike completed back-to-back victories in the $750,000 event with a determined triumph over Wanderin Boy, who he ran down in the stretch under Robby Albarado to score by three-quarters of a length.

Although his participation in the Breeders' Cup Classic is still to be confirmed, Curlin will now be shipped to Santa Anita to be trained on the host venue's new all-weather surface, about which his connections remain wary.

Curlin will go to California having surpassed the great Cigar's 12-year-old mark of $9.9m into first place on the all-time prize-money list.

“This is what I wanted,” said trainer Steve Asmussen, speaking in the Daily Racing Form. “Him being all-time money winning horse, what a great ring it has to it."

"I think for him to be at that mark with an authoritative victory in the Jockey Club Gold Cup means a lot. It was very emotional for me – I was very excited and very proud of everybody concerned.”
Curlin's career record now stands at 11 wins from 15 runs, among them victories in a clutch of America's most prestigious Grade 1 races taking his money haul to $10.25m.

Last year his victories included the Preakness, the Jockey Club Gold Cup and the Breeders' Cup Classic; in 2008, he added the Dubai World Cup, Stephen Foster Handicap and Woodward Stakes before Saturday's win.

Though decisive enough, Curlin's victory in the Jockey Club was more solid than spectacular, as has become his modus operandi in 2008.

Settled comfortably in midfield a few lengths off the a steady pace set by habitual front-runner Wanderin Boy, who was allowed a clear run at the lead in the 1m2f event.

Albarado pushed Curlin up turning for home and, after the 2-5 favourite entered the stretch five wide, he grabbed the leader a furlong out, needing only to be kept to his work with hands and heels to keep the race safe.