Just about the only thing Curlin did not do in his fabulous career was end “The Curse of Apollo.” A horse who did not race at 2 had not won the Kentucky Derby since the aforementioned Apollo all the way back in 1882, and Curlin gave it the old college try to end the jinx that Triple Crown winner Justify eventually halted in 2018. Curlin made his debut on Feb. 3, 2003 and then ran third three months later in the Kentucky Derby.
Tag: The Sport
2024 Kentucky Derby Prospect Profiles: Risen Star Stakes Winner Sierra Leone
Welcome to 2024 Kentucky Derby Prospect Profiles, where we’ll take a look each week at a recent winner on the Triple Crown trail, usually from the Road to the Kentucky Derby schedule that offers qualifying points for the first leg of the series. The 1 ¼-mile Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve will be held May 4, 2024, at Churchill Downs.
Keeping Them Safe in the Saddle: Jockey Safety Has Been a Century-Plus Quest
Each race day, jockeys suit up with gear that echoes their predecessors. Those early riders wore a silk cap and jacket with the owner’s colors, but those caps offered no protection from injury and those jackets were no shield against flying hooves. With dirt, mud, and debris flying into their faces, these jocks faced any number of dangers on the racetrack: falling off their mounts and potentially being trampled; tearing muscle and breaking limbs hitting the rail; hurtling over a horse’s head or falling with their mounts only to be trapped underneath the thousand-pound animal.
Built to Last: Why Secretariat’s Legacy and Appeal Strengthen With Time
Last year marked 50 years since Secretariat powered through the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes, in performances reminiscent of another Big Red,
