By MIKE FARRELL
NEW YORK (AP) — Curlin became the first horse in North America to top $10 million in career earnings, winning the $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup on Saturday at sloppy Belmont Park.
The $450,000 winner's purse pushed Curlin's career bankroll to $10,246,800. Cigar held the old mark of $9,999,815, which stood for 12 years.
"I'm sure this record will be broken someday, but it will take a hell of a horse to do it," winning jockey Robbie Albarado said.
Curlin sets money record....
OCEANPORT, N.J. (AP) — Bring on Curlin! That's all the owners of Big Brown want in the Breeders' Cup Classic.
Big Brown put another exclamation point on a magnificent 3-year-old season and set up a potential showdown against last year's horse of the year with a courageous front-running victory over older horses in the $500,000 Monmouth Stakes on Saturday at Monmouth Park.
"I can't wait to run against Curlin," Big Brown co-owner Michael Iavarone said. "If he's gonna show up, he should show up in the Breeders' Cup. That's where we are going to be. That would be a great place for us to run against each other."
Curlin is set to run in the Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont on Sept. 27, but majority owner Jess Jackson has not committed to running the 4-year-old in The Breeders' Cup on Oct. 25 at Santa Anita in California.
Big Brown was impressive in his final tuneup for thoroughbred racing's richest race in North American.
Big Brown holds off late charge to win Monmouth Stakes....
