Another Jackson Champions His Horse

Do you think it is just a coincidence that the last name of two of the most horse-centric owners in the thoroughbred racing business today is Jackson?

We all know about Gretchen and Roy Jackson, owners of Barbaro, who did everything possible to try and save their 2006 Kentucky Derby winner after he suffered a catastrophic injury in the Preakness. But now Jess Jackson, owner of Curlin, has also stepped up to the plate, announcing that his 2007 Horse of the Year will continue his racing career without chemical enhancements.

According to an article in Thursday's New York Times, Jess Jackson ordered trainer Steve Asmussen to discontinue the use of steroids when he discovered in January that Curlin had been receiving shots of Winstrol, the same anabolic steroid that trainer Rick Dutrow admitted to administering to Big Brown. As Joe Drape notes, since the drug has been discontinued, Curlin has continued to win his last three races, including the $6 million Dubai World Cup in March.

On Saturday, Curlin will race for the first time on turf in the Grade I Man O' War stakes at Belmont Park, presumably as a prep for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, scheduled for October in Paris over the same surface. Jess Jackson is on a mission to save the sport of racing by showcasing his extraordinary, drug-free 4 year old. "I want to show the industry that we can breed horses with stamina and durability and race them clean," Jackson notes.

Jackson made his disdain for drugs public last month when he testified before the Congressional sub-committee investigating horse racing. He asked for Congressional intervention in cleaning up the sport. "I'm against all performance enhancing drugs, or anything that masks or conceals designer drugs," says Jackson. "I have been for zero tolerance since the 1950s. We have to start bringing our horses down from all these chemicals."

So I don't know about you, but I will be rooting for Curlin come Saturday to make a good showing--certainly good enough for his owner and trainer to consider sending him head to head with Europe's finest in one of the world's most prestigious races.

It's good for the sport. It's good for the industry its good to see another Jackson take up the cause.