Minority Interest in Curlin May Go On Sale

2008 Breeders' Cup World Championships at Santa Anita Park

The 2008 Breeders' Cup, thoroughbred racing's most prestigious event, consisting of 14 Breeders' Cup races and $25.5 million in purses, will be held on October 24-25, at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California.

But before that, Belmont Stakes winner Da'Tara is going to race in the Travers Stakes at Saratoga Race Course while Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Big Brown will be racing in the Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park.

Posted on Thursday, April 17th, 2008

Franklin County Senior Judge Roger Crittenden announced at a hearing on Wednesday, April 16, that he is ready to order the sale of assets held by companies affiliated with attorneys William Gallion and Shirley Cunningham Jr., including their 20% interest on 2007 Horse of the Year Curlin.

Stonestreat Stables’ owner Jess Jackson, who owns 80% of Curlin, has the right of first refusal on the minority interest if Curlin goes up for sale, giving him a chance to take full ownership of Curlin, who recently won the $6-million Dubai World Cup.

“We may exercise it or we may not,” Jess Jackson’s spokesman Kevin McGee said. “We just don’t know yet.”

William Gallion, Shirley Cunningham Jr. along with fellow attorney Melbourne Mills Jr., are accused of skimming 418 clients out of at least $42 million from a $200 million settlement awarded in a class-action fen-phen lawsuit. The three men are in the Boone County Jail pending a May 12 trial.

It is expected that Crittenden will sign the necessary order of the liquidation of the companies and foundations of the attorneys in the next two to three weeks.

Curlin, the son of Smart Strike, was purchased for $57,000 at the 2005 Keeneland September yearling sale. Curlin had an amazing 2007 campaign which includes winning the Arkansas Derby, Preakness Stakes as well as the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

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"Minority Interest in Curlin May Go On Sale" was posted on Thursday, April 17th, 2008 at 10:28 pm and is filed under Horse Racing Industry, Horses, Owners & Breeders, USA Horse Racing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Leave a response, or trackback from your own site.