機靈(Curlin)銳意打破由雪茄保持的最高獎金記錄
Curlin could break the all-time American earnings record in Saturday's Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park.
The best horse in the world on dirt ran below par when beaten by Red Rocks in his only outing to date on grass, but has since got back to winning ways at Saratoga last month.
The winner of the Dubai World Cup won the Gold Cup 12 months ago before going on Breeders' Cup glory, but connections are still pondering their options regarding Santa Anita next month.
A new Pro-Ride surface has been installed at the track and owner Jess Jackson will not make a decision until after Saturday's race.
Recent rain in New York is expected to make conditions heavy at Belmont but Scott Blasi, assistant to Curlin's trainer, Steve Asmussen, has no concerns.
"He's had experience over a muddy racetrack," Blasi told the Blood Horse. "It's definitely not an issue for him, according to his bankroll.
"He's awesome. It seems like he always comes around this time of year; gets stronger. Hopefully, we are getting into peak at the end of the year."
Curlin's earnings are $200,000 shy of Cigar's record of $9,999,815 but victory in the Gold Cup will propel the four-year-old to the top of the charts.
Meanwhile, the organisers of next month's Breeders' Cup have backed the new all-weather surface at Santa Anita, which was only laid down during the summer.
It was replacing Cushion Track, which had huge problems with drainage during last winter, but many of the old brigade of American trainers would still rather the non-Turf races were run on the traditional dirt.
However, Greg Avioli, president of the Breeders' Cup, believes the new synthetic surfaces represent the future for the sport.
"They have been training on it for a month and the Oak Tree meeting started on Wednesday and it went off very well," he said.
"Reviews were very positive and I see no going back (to dirt) as ultimately the synthetic surface is safer and better for the horses."
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