Curlin Named Horse of the Year

BEVERLY HILLS, California (Ticker) -- Curlin had a banner year in 2007. He also had a banner night at the 37th annual Eclipse Awards on Monday. After winning the Preakness Stakes in May and capturing the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic five months later, Curlin was named both Horse of the Year and the top 3-year-old male at the awards ceremony at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel.

Curlin also won the Arkansas Derby and Jockey Club Gold Cup last year. His accomplishments are even more impressive in that he went unraced as a 2-year-old. For Horse of the Year, Curlin received 249 of the 267 first-place votes. Rags to Riches, who was named the top 3-year-old filly on the strength of her victory over the males in the Belmont Stakes, came in second with 12 votes.

During his acceptance speech, Curlin owner Jess Jackson announced his plans for the horse in 2008. "I encourage everyone in the industry to work together to boost the marketing, the ethics and the sincerity of the sport so that we can bring in the fans to enjoy the theater that this sport provides," Curlin owner Jess Jackson said. "I want to make the poetry in motion that is racing come alive, and since we need it so badly, we have decided to race Curlin again this year."