Tue Jan 22 00:04:06 2008

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Curlin garners 2007 Horse of the Year Award

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Beverly Hills, CA (Sports Network) - Breeders' Cup Classic winner Curlin has been named 2007 Horse of the Year in voting by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA), National Turf Writers Association (NTWA) and Daily Racing Form (DRF). The honor was announced at the 37th annual Eclipse Awards ceremony at the Beverly Wilshire Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills, California.

Curlin, winner of last year's Preakness Stakes, was also voted champion three- year-old male for 2007. Trained by Steve Asmussen, the chestnut colt also posted victories in the Arkansas Derby, Rebel Stakes and the Jockey Club Gold Cup.

In his first year of racing, Curlin earned more than $5.1 million in nine starts. Owned by Stonestreet and Padua Stables, and Georg Bolton, Curlin is currently being prepared for his four-year-old racing season.

Belmont Stakes winner Rags to Riches, second in Horse of the Year voting, is champion three-year-old female for 2007. She is owned by Derrick Smith and Michael Tabor, and trained by Todd Pletcher. The Belmont win was Pletcher's first in a Triple Crown race and helped him garner his fourth consecutive Eclipse Award.

Rags to Riches raced six times last year, winning five for better than $1.3 million. She also posted victories in the Santa Anita and Kentucky Oaks, and suffered her only defeat in the Gazelle Stakes behind Lear's Princess.

In 2007, Pletcher broke his own record for single-year earnings with $28.3 million. He won 283 races in 1,203 starts.

Garrett Gomez, who rode Rags to Riches four times last year, earned his first Eclipse Award as champion jockey. Gomez was aboard two winners in the 2007 Breeders' Cup races at Monmouth Park who also captured Eclipse Awards. Gomez had 260 wins last year for more than $23.4 million.

Indian Blessing, also ridden by Gomez, is champion two-year-old filly after winning the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Filly. She is owned by Hal and Patti Earnhardt, and trained by Bob Baffert.

Midnight Lute, another Gomez horse, is champion sprinter for 2007 following his win in the Breeders' Cup Sprint. Co-owned by Mike Pegram, he is also trained by Baffert and earned more than $1.3 million last year.

The 2007 Eclipse Award winner for champion older male thoroughbred is Lawyer Ron. As a four-year-old, Lawyer Ron won four of eight starts for more than $1.3 million. His win in the Whitney Handicap set a track record for 1 1/8 miles at Saratoga. Lawyer Ron is owned by Stonewall Stallions and trained by Pletcher. He was primarily ridden last year by John Velazquez.

Breeders' Cup Distaff winner Ginger Punch has been voted the Eclipse Award as champion older female. Trained by Bobby Frankel for Frank Stronach, Ginger Punch won five of eight starts in 2007 for better than $1.8 million. Rafael Bejarano was in the saddle for all but one of the filly's starts.

Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner War Pass is the 2007 champion two-year-old male. The colt was undefeated in four starts last year and earned almost $1.4 million. Owned by Robert LaPenta and trained by Nick Zito, War Pass is the early favorite for this year's Kentucky Derby.

The Eclipse Award winners for male turf and female turf champions both posted wins in last year's Breeders' Cup. English Channel, another Pletcher trainee, is champion male turf thoroughbred and Lahudood is champion female.

English Channel is owned by James T. Scatuorchio and was ridden by Velazquez. The chestnut horse registered a seven-length win in the Breeders' Cup Turf. He won four of seven starts in 2007 for more than $2.6 million.

Lahudood captured the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf last October for Shadwell Stable and trainer Kiaran McLaughlin. With Alan Garcia as her main rider, Lahudood won three of five starts for better than $1.5 million.

Shadwell was also voted the Eclipse Award as leading owner of the year. The stable had 29 wins in 2007 and earnings of more than $7 million.

Good Night Shirt is the Eclipse Award winner as champion steeplechaser. Trained by Jack Fisher, Good Night Shirt won three of five starts in 2007 for $314,163. The gelding was ridden in all five starts by William Dowling.

The brand new Eclipse Award for champion female sprinter goes to Breeders' Cup Female Sprint winner Maryfield. Trained by Doug O'Neill, Maryfield earned $896,330 in 2007 with three wins in eight starts. The mare is owned by Mark Gorman, Nick Mestrandrea and Jim Perry.

Joe Talamo has captured the Eclipse Award as champion apprentice jockey of 2007. He posted earnings of better than $10.7 million last year with 249 wins.

Adena Springs has been voted the Eclipse Award as top breeder for the fourth straight year. For 2007, the operation had earnings of $18 million. This is the fifth consecutive year Adena Springs has led all North American breeders and had the winners of 538 races from 3,479 starts.