The prince and the king

It's a great time to be a racing fan. For the first time in five years, the leading three-year-old was not retired to the breeding shed at the end of the season -- last year's Champion Three-Year-Old Male, Curlin, has remained in training for 2008.

Curlin had an unorthodox but impressive prep race for the Dubai World Cup (gr. I) last month in the Jaguar Trophy Handicap in Dubai, which he won under a hand ride while shouldering 132 pounds, clocking the 1-1/4 miles in a laudable time of 2:00.6. But the colt still had his work cut out for him Saturday. He would meet rivals from all over the globe, including Japan's Vermilion (a winner of four consecutive grade I's), Godolphin's up-and-coming Jalil who had strung together three straight victories since coming to Dubai, former American grade I winner and last year's World Cup runner-up Premium Tap, and horse-for-course Asiatic Boy who had won the UAE Derby (UAE-II) over the same oval.

But Curlin made mincemeat of his World Cup rivals, attending an active pace while three-wide before drawing off down the stretch to score by a record 7-3/4 lengths. Winning with his ears pricked, he sped the distance in 2:00.15, the third-fastest running of the race.

"What a horse," said his jubilant rider Robby Albarado. "Curlin is like a limousine, and I am just along for the ride."

And yet, the effort that should have had people talking for weeks played second fiddle when, some four hours later, three-year-old Big Brown remained undefeated in taking the Florida Derby (gr. I) in just his third lifetime start. Big Brown had first made headlines last summer at Saratoga, when he won a maiden special on the turf by 11-3/4 lengths. Setbacks caused the colt to miss the rest of the season, but he turned heads in his sophomore debut earlier this month when he cruised in an off-the-turf allowance contest by more than a dozen lengths, getting the mile distance in an eye-catching 1:35 3/5 despite having only a two-work foundation going in.

Then came last Saturday's Florida Derby, which turned skeptics into believers (myself included). Breaking from the twelve-hole --and becoming the first horse to win doing so since Gulfstream's inane reconfiguration four years ago-- Big Brown set daring fractions of 22 and 45 and change for the opening quarter and half-mile. Despite the quick pace, Big Brown left his rivals reeling and drew off down the stretch to win by five lengths while getting the 1-1/8 miles in a snappy 1:48 1/5.

"He's a major talent, possibly the best horse I've ever ridden," enthused winning rider Kent Desormeaux, who rode both Fusaichi Pegasus and Real Quiet to victories in the Kentucky Derby. Desormeaux has also won grade I's on a variety of mounts, including Desert Stormer (a dirt sprinter), Kotashaan (a turf router), and Corinthian (a dirt miler).

"He's a freak," says Hall of Fame trainer John Nerud simply.

Despite the one-year age difference, the similarities are startling: It was at this time last year the then-undefeated Curlin was a favorite for the Kentucky Derby, having gone from a dazzling maiden winner to the commanding ten-length victor of the Arkansas Derby (gr. II) in the span of two months. He even had similar superlatives thrown at him last year after going from maiden winner to Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) hero in the span of a season. But even the eventual Horse of the Year was unable to win the Derby off of three lifetime starts, though he did finish an admirable third behind Street Sense and Hard Spun after encountering traffic trouble down the lane.

Big Brown will now likely go off favored in the Run for the Roses, having outdazzled fellow three-year-old and Louisiana Derby (gr. II) and Risen Star (gr. III) winner Pyro from the top spot of Derby contenders. Curlin, meanwhile, will remain in light training in Kentucky until a future start can be determined, his hold on the title Horse of the World secure. The two will follow different paths, but it is never too early to start dreaming of the collision course that may come to fruition this fall.