By JOE DRAPE
ARCADIA, Calif. — Rival trainers marvel at Curlin. John Gosden calls him a machine. Aidan O’Brien believes he can run on any surface, even glass. The Hall of Famers Bobby Frankel and Bill Mott concede he has earned his title as the best horse in the world. So why are they taking a shot at Curlin, the reigning horse of the year, on Saturday?
They believe in their own horses and are convinced that this may be the deepest field in the 25-year history of the Breeders’ Cup Classic, a race worth $5 million. In fact, they barely miss the Kentucky Derby winner Big Brown, who hogged all the pre-Breeders’ Cup headlines until he injured his right front hoof and was retired two weeks ago.
“We’ve got to beat everybody, not only Curlin,” said Mott, who won the 1995 Classic with Cigar and will saddle Go Between, the 8-1 third choice in the morning line. “He’s a very good horse, there’s no question about that. They’re lining up a number of good horses. It’s certainly not a one-horse race.”
Curlin May Be Best, but Now He Can Prove It....
