Curlin to make 2008 Debut

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (Ticker) - Curlin, the reigning Horse of the Year, will make his 2008 debut Thursday in the $175,000 Jaguar Trophy at Nad Al Sheba racecourse. The race will not only be the 4-year-old debut for Curlin, but it also will serve as the final prep for the $6 million Dubai World Cup on March 29. Trained by Steve Asmussen, Curlin will face five other rivals in the 1 1/4-mile race.

It was a banner 2007 campaign for Curlin, who won the Preakness Stakes in May and captured the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic five months later. Curlin also won the Arkansas Derby and Jockey Club Gold Cup in 2007 en route to winning the Eclipse Award for Horse of the Year and top 3-year-old male. His accomplishments were even more impressive in that he went unraced as a 2-year-old.