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THREE-YEAR-OLDS & UP DIARY SEPTEMBER 25, 2008 by James Scully Monmouth Park wrote the race for him and BIG BROWN (Boundary) passed the test, winning the inaugural running of the September 13 Monmouth S., which is only a temporary moniker until officials rename it the Big Brown S. in the future. The Kentucky Derby (G1) and Preakness (G1) winner received a stiff challenge in the stretch from Grade 2 winner Proudinsky (Ger) (Silvano [Ger]), but the sophomore colt dug in gamely and kept offering more to the finish, eventually prevailing by a measured neck. After notching a 110 BRIS Speed rating for his victory in the Haskell Invitational (G1), Big Brown registered a 98 in the Monmouth. Of course, the Monmouth was held over grass and his Speed number is generally irrelevant in terms of the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1). Big Brown has twice posted 110 Speed ratings on dirt this season and earned a 108 for his superb 4 3/4-length triumph in the Kentucky Derby. The once-beaten colt needed a solid effort to prepare him for the main event, and he got it in the Monmouth. Next up is the 1 1/4-mile Classic on Santa Anita's Pro-Ride track, and Horse of the Year honors will be on the line. Big Brown has never raced over a synthetic surface, but trainer Richard Dutrow doesn't plan to send him or any of his Breeders' Cup horses to Santa Anita early -- they're scheduled to arrive on Wednesday of Breeders' Cup week. He explained his philosophy. "I don't want to send them out there (to get) accustomed to the track; it doesn't make any sense to me," Dutrow told Daily Racing Form. "They're either going to like it or they're not. I don't care how much they train over it." Four races with Classic implications will be held this Saturday. The Goodwood S. (G1) is obviously very intriguing since it will be held over the Pro-Ride at Santa Anita, and the Kentucky Cup Classic (G2) gives horses the opportunity to prep over a synthetic surface on the Polytrack at Turfway. The Hawthorne Gold Cup (G2) will take center stage on the dirt in Chicago. However, Saturday's 90th running of the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1), has the biggest storyline. Reigning Horse of the Year CURLIN (Smart Strike) will attempt to become Thoroughbred racing's leading North American money earner in the 1 1/4-mile event at Belmont Park. Big horse -- The Jockey Club Gold Cup used to be the most important U.S. race in the fall, but that's no longer the case. There's still plenty of prestige attached, but it doesn't hold the same appeal due to the Breeders' Cup. In fact, it's become a race to avoid when a big horse is in the field. Mineshaft dealt with only four rivals in the 2003, and Bernardini faced only three in 2006. Curlin defeated six opponents in 2007. Over the last five runnings, the Jockey Club Gold Cup has averaged a paltry field size of six. Curlin won't face much opposition on Saturday. Travers S. (G1) runner-up MAMBO IN SEATTLE (Kingmambo), who made his stakes debut two starts back for Neil Howard, will be his top rival in a short field. If Curlin wins as expected, the focus shifts to his possible participation in the Breeders' Cup. 87 percent dirt -- Was anybody else surprised to see Santa Anita President Ron Charles state that the new Pro-Ride surface is 87 percent dirt? I almost didn't believe it. The rest of the Pro-Ride is made up of fibers and polymers that coat the dirt, allowing it drain. That's a big contrast from Polytrack, which basically looks like it's made up completely of carpet fibers and bears no resemblance to Mother Earth. In theory, Pro-Ride should play more like dirt than any of the synthetic surfaces. That's another reason for Curlin's connections to pursue the Classic. The race already holds plenty of significance for the soon-to-be $10 million earner. Curlin owns only two wins this year in the United States, taking the Stephen Foster H. (G1) and Woodward S. (G1), and a victory in Saturday's Jockey Club Gold Cup won't be enough to assure him of Horse of the Year honors again if Big Brown wins the Classic. Big Brown's accomplishments will far out-shadow his rival this year. Curlin needs to ship to Santa Anita to beat Big Brown. Jones & the Honest Man -- The Kentucky Cup Classic (G2) will feature a short field but competitive field of six that includes ZANJERO (Cherokee Run) and STREAM CAT (Black Minnaloushe), but I'm most interested in HONEST MAN (Unbridled's Song). Trained by Larry "Cowboy" Jones, who announced plans this week to retire at the end of 2009, Honest Man still has much to prove to deserve mention among the best older horses in training, but he's on the right course. The four-year-old finished third when making his graded stakes debut two starts back in the Salvator Mile (G3) and recorded his first stakes victory in the Philip H. Iselin S. (G3) last out, drawing clear to a 2 3/4-length victory. Honest Man equaled a career-best 104 BRIS Speed rating that afternoon, and I believe the best is still yet to come from the improving colt. He'll take a step in that direction with a victory at Turfway Park on Saturday. Marathon preps -- Saturday's Hawthorne Gold Cup will feature a couple of logical contenders, FAIRBANKS (Giant's Causeway) and MAGNA GRADUATE (Honor Grades), for the inaugural running of the Breeders' Cup Marathon, and Golden Gate Fields could produce a couple of starters in Saturday's All American S. (G3). AWESOME GEM (Awesome Gem) and last-out Turfway Park Fall Championship S. (G3) winner DELIGHTFUL KISS (Kissin Kris) are the top draws in the nine-furlong event. Horizon -- Our next notebook will recap this weekend's prep races and take a look at the prospective fields for the Classic, Marathon and Dirt Mile.
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