There is a boatload of news. I do not know where to begin but I am unlikely to err if I write about Curlin in the opening paragraph. The 2007 Horse of the Year is being prepared for the Grade I Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park on September 27. Curlin worked 1000 metres in 1.01.80 at Saratoga five days ago. Curlin will have another piece of work on September 22 and head to Belmont Park. A win in the Jockey Club will make Curlin the richest thoroughbred in history with earnings in excess of ten million dollars.

Scott Blasi, Steve Asmussen’s assistant, expressed his utter delight. “That was awesome. He won the Woodward on August 30 and with a four-week gap, we are trying to keep him happy. He is in great shape.”

The Darley group will sponsor the Australian Cup until 2011. The weight-for-age Group I event is one of the major races in the Victoria Racing Club’s calendar. It is a prestigious race and occupies a spot in the top rung in Australian racing.

America has several high profile races this weekend. We will give Proud Spell top billing. The Proud Citizen filly will carry the public purse in the Grade II $750,000 Fitz Dixon Cotillion handicap. Proud Spell faces six rivals in the 1700-metre race to be run at Philadelphia Park in Pennsylvania. After the Cotillion, Proud Spell heads to Santa Anita for a tilt at the Breeders’ Cup. The Pro-Ride surface at Santa Anita will be unveiled on September 24 when the Breeders’ Cup meeting gets under way.

Larry Jones, Proud Spell’s trainer, outlined his plan. “We have worked her on the Tapeta surface. If she comes out of the Fitz Dixon as well as she has come out of her other races, we may well be going to Santa Anita.”

Louisiana Downs hosts the Grade II $500,000 Super Derby on September 20. Forest Command, a Monarchos colt, and nine others go postward. A runaway winner of a first level allowance race at Saratoga, Forest Command will race farther than 1400 metres for the first time. Macho Again, victorious in Saratoga’s Jim Dandy and a flop in the Travers, seeks to rebound and is the lukewarm morning line choice.

At Suffolk Downs, Commentator is an odds on pick in the $500,000 Massachusetts handicap. By virtue of his win in the Whitney handicap, the Nick Zito pupil has already earned a berth in the Breeders’ Cup. This will be Commentator’s prep race before embarking on the trip to southern California.

Indian Blessing, a scratch in the Ruffian handicap, takes on older in Belmont Park’s 1300-metre Gallant Bloom handicap on September 20. If Indian Blessing comes out well, she will go to the Breeders’ Cup Filly-Mare sprint in late October.

Santa Anita will have six Grade I races on September 27. The stakes-studded card is being viewed as the ‘greatest Breeders’ Cup preview.’ Sherwood Chillingworth, a Santa Anita executive, said, “we believe this will be the greatest advance showpiece in the 25-year history of the Breeders’ Cup championships.”

Maryland has a ban on anabolic steroids. The Maryland Racing Commission has approved the ban following the lead of Kentucky, Delaware, Pennsylvania and Virginia. The ban will be in place on January 1, 2009. A panel of Maryland lawmakers has to confirm the ban for enforcement.

The Illinois Racing Board has released the 2009 thoroughbred schedule. Hawthorne will have 112 days. Hawthorne is about 12 miles from downtown Chicago. Arlington Park, about 45 miles from downtown Chicago, has been given 98 days. Fairmount Park, near St Louis but in Illinois geographically, has 75 days.

Let us switch to England. The Ayr Gold Cup, a Class II sprint over 1200 metres, will be run on Saturday. Ayr is in Scotland. There are 27 runners. The going is likely to be heavy. Advanced, Neil Callan up, is the 8-1 favourite. Kevin Ryan trains Advanced.

The international racing picture is shrinking. Great Leighs, an all weather track, will have a race called the Breeders’ Cup Trial next Saturday. If permission is granted, Great Leighs will have the American bell-ringing system as the gates open. A good field is expected.

Dundalk, an all weather facility in Ireland, will stage another BC trial on Friday, October 3. It is an evening card. There will be a 30,000-pound purse. The race will be over 2100 metres.

Kempton Park will have the Kentucky Derby Challenge Stakes on March 18, 2009. It will be over 1800 metres on the polytrack. Kempton is about 15 miles from London. The purse will be 150,000 pounds. The winner gets a berth in the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs and the will earn a $100,000 bonus if he or she goes in the Derby.

In 1971, Canonero II, based in Venezuela, shipped to Louisville to win the Derby. That is the only time a non-America-based horse won the Run for the Roses.

Steve Sexton, President of Churchill Downs, said, “the Kentucky Derby is a compelling and naturally exciting event. International competition will add to the anticipation and intrigue surrounding the greatest horse race.”

Galileo has undergone colic surgery. The procedure was performed on Thursday. A report from Ireland says that the champion sire is progressing and doing very well.

Goodwood Racecourse, where I will be on September 24, will have a seven-race program. The feature is the 40,000-pound Foundation Stakes. It is a Listed race over 2000 metres. Eagle Mountain, now with Mike de Kock, makes a reappearance.