The road that Curlin will take in 2008 is becoming clear. The 2007 Eclipse Award winner will arrive in Dubai on February 16. He is, at the moment, training at Fair Grounds in Louisiana. The Smart Strike colt will have a preparatory race on February 28. A less likely option is to race Curlin a week later on what is being billed ‘Super Thursday’. The Dubai World Cup, a race that carries a $6,000,000 purse and to be run on March 29, 2008, is Curlin’s prime target.

Jesse Jackson, the majority owner of Curlin, had this to say. “So long as he is fit and healthy, it comes down to the fact that Curlin has earned the chance to compete in the World Cup. His greatest moments and best efforts lie ahead.”

Steve Asmussen, Curlin’s trainer, explained the rationale behind the plan and made an obvious reference to 2007 when Curlin’s Jockey Club Gold Cup race and the Breeders’ Cup Classic race were four weeks apart. “I love the month between the races. The quarantine will be out of the way. We will have a month to get ready and he (Curlin) likes to know where he’s at.”

Trainer Asmussen exuded abundant confidence when adding this, “He is the best horse in the world and I want others to feel the same way.”

Curlin won the Breeders’ Cup Classic in late October at Monmouth Park. He won going away and settled every argument there was about who the best sophomore was. Incidentally, Curlin was also made the ‘Horse of the Year’.

The first Kentucky Derby future book will open on Thursday, February 7, 2008. It will run for four days. There are 24 betting interests. There are 23 individual interests and an ‘all the others’ category. Mike Battaglia, the oddsmaker at Churchill Downs, has installed the ‘all the others’ category the 5-2 favourite. Three sophomores, War Pass, Pyro and Court Vision are quoted at 12-1. Z Fortune is at 20-1. There is wagering all over America and Canada. At the end of the four-day period, odds on the 24 interests will be determined and will apply to the payoffs to be made after the Derby.

There are two more future pools. The second is from March 6 thru March 9. The third and final Derby future wager will run from April 3 thru April 6. There are no refunds. It is a $2.00 wager and it is a win bet.

Some of the Derby contenders will race this Saturday in the stakes-studded card at Fair Grounds. Pyro and Z Fortune will be in action.

Kieren Fallon attended a hearing on the 18-month ban and it was held by France-Galop in Paris on Monday. Fallon had legal counsel. There is a 10-day waiting period for Fallon. The French Racing body will issue a ruling at the end of the period. It has been rumoured that Fallon is exploring the possibility of turning to training. With the Ballydoyle job gone, Fallon’s future has become uncertain.

Mark Johnston saddled the 2,000th winner of his training career on Friday at Southwell Race Course in England. At 48, Johnston has recorded the fastest 2,000 in British racing. Leamington, Mark Johnston’s trainee, won.

Mark Johnston said, “I can’t say it is a milestone that means a lot to me. I had not even noticed it until John Scanlon (the stable’s statistician) put it into the Kingsley-Klarion (a magazine).

Mark Johnston trained Attraction who won the Irish and English 1,000 Guineas in 2004. Kevin Darley was the jockey. Shamardaal, the champion juvenile in 2004, was from Johnston’s stable. The turning point for Johnston came in the form of Mister Bailey’s who won the 2,000 Guineas in 2000. There are 231 horses in Johnston’s yard. He had 161 winners in 2007. Johnston started in February 1987.

Santa Anita’s Sunday programme was cancelled. Drainage problems with the new synthetic surface prompted the abandonment. President Ron Charles stated, “Work will start on applying new polymers to the track to rectify the problems once and for all. Hopefully, this is the last time we are going to have to do this.”

Aidan O’Brien has seven entries among 448 for the American Triple Crown races. There are 19 foreign-breds. Dermot Weld, Saeed Bin Suroor, John Gosden, Andrew Balding and Jeremy Noseda have entries. O’Brien’s horses are not from his first string.

Todd Pletcher has 21 and Nick Zito has 19 entries. There is a $600.00 cost to enter. On March 29, the fee goes up to $6,000.00. After that, it is $200,000 to supplement. Horses not nominated to the Kentucky Derby, will need an extra $100,000 to go in either the Preakness or the Belmont Stakes.