Minority interest in Curlin to be auctioned

By: SPORTS NETWORK

Lexington, KY (Sports Network) - A sealed bid auction of a minority interest in leading thoroughbred Curlin will be conducted through Keeneland, a leading thoroughbred auction house.

"This is a rare opportunity to acquire a significant interest in an extraordinary racehorse and an exciting stallion prospect," said Geoffrey Russell, Keeneland's director of sales. "Curlin is arguably one of the greatest horses of the modern era."

On September 25, Boone County (KY) Circuit Court Judge Roger Crittenden signed an order allowing Matthew L. Garretson, the court-appointed receiver for Midnight Cry Stable (owned by Shirley Cunningham, Jr. and William Gallion), to offer its 20-percent minority interest in Curlin for sale through a sealed-bid process. Ownership of the interest is held in the name of Midnight Cry's parent company, Tandy LLC. Jess Jackson's Stonestreet Stables owns an 80- percent interest in North America's all-time leading money winner.

Deadline for submitting sealed bids is November 5, 2008, at 3:00 p.m. (et).

Curlin, trained by Steve Asmussen, will attempt to win a second straight Breeders' Cup Classic on Saturday, October 25 at Santa Anita Park. He comes into the 1 1/4 mile race with better than $10.2 million in career earnings.

As a three-year-old in 2007 Curlin won the Arkansas Derby, Preakness Stakes, Jockey Club Gold Cup, along with the Classic and was voted Horse of the Year as well as champion male three-year-old.

This year the colt won the Dubai World Cup, Stephen Foster and Woodward Handicaps and a second Jockey Club Gold Cup.