Lawyer Ron takes case to the Jockey Club Gold Cup

Lawyer Ron will continue arguing his case for Horse of the Year honors in the Gold Cup (Joseph DiOrio/Horsephotos.com) Horse of the Year contender LAWYER RON (Langfuhr), a spectacular winner of the Whitney H. (G1) and Woodward S. (G1) this summer, will pursue another major prize when he heads to the starting gate in Sunday's $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup S. (G1) at Belmont Park. Seven runners will contest the 1 1/4-mile event, including Preakness S. (G1) victor CURLIN (Smart Strike), who will make his first start against older horses. A nine-time stakes winner, Lawyer Ron will be seeking his first victory at 10 furlongs. The four-year-old colt exits an 8 1/4-length romp in the September 1 Woodward and established a new track record at Saratoga (1:46.64) when capturing the nine-furlong Whitney by 4 3/4 lengths in late July. If Lawyer Ron records another impressive tally in the Gold Cup, he'll stamp himself as the horse to beat in the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) on October 27. "Anytime you have a horse set a track record at Saratoga going a mile and an eighth, that's pretty special stuff," conditioner Todd Pletcher said. "To think no horse has ever shaded 1:47 for a mile and an eighth (at Saratoga) -- he's the only one to do it. His Whitney was a breakthrough performance, and I think he's taken his game to a new level. He backed up the Whitney with another good one in the Woodward. Looking at those efforts, I think he's established himself as the best older horse in the country." Lawyer Ron is bidding to become the fourth horse ever to sweep the Whitney, Woodward and Gold Cup in the same season. The chestnut will join the ranks of Kelso, Slew o' Gold and Easy Goer with the elusive trifecta.

The Gold Cup is the last leg of a $400,000 all-stakes, guaranteed Pick 4

along with the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational (G1), Beldame (G1) and Vosburgh

(G1). All four stakes are part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge "Win and You're In"

series, meaning each race winner automatically qualifies for the respective races at

the Breeders Cup at Monmouth Park.

Curlin will attempt to make amends for a disappointing third as the 4-5

favorite in the Haskell Invitational S. (G1). Prior to that, he recorded an

excellent head victory over Street Sense (Street Cry [Ire]) in the Preakness and

finished second by a head in the Belmont S. (G1). The chestnut colt didn't make

his career debut until February and has compiled a 4-1-2 mark from seven career

starts. Regular rider Robby Albarado will be up.

"His Haskell was disappointing," said Steve Blasi, assistant to trainer Steve

Asmussen. "I don't think there's something you can really put your finger on,

but the Belmont Stakes was a tough race on him. These days he just seems a lot

sharper than he was going into the (Haskell). He's going to need to be sharp

because Lawyer Ron's a great horse."

Suburban H. (G1) hero POLITICAL FORCE (Unbridled's Song) and $2.1-million

earner SUN KING (Charismatic) are also in the line-up. Political Force recorded

a good second in the Metropolitan Mile H. (G1) prior to his Suburban score and

likes the main track at Belmont, posting a 2-3-1 mark from six attempts. The

Allen Jerkens charge has never run well at Saratoga, so the gray colt's fifth in

the Woodward last time can be overlooked. Sun King rallied for runner-up honors

behind Lawyer Ron in the Woodward, and the Nick Zito trainee placed in the 2005

Gold Cup as a three-year-old.

Oaklawn H. (G2) runner-up BROTHER BOBBY (Out of Place) will lead the post

parade under Stewart Elliott. Next comes Sun King, Alan Garcia; Political Force,

Cornelio Velasquez; Suburban third-placer MALIBU MOONSHINE (Malibu Moon),

Channing Hill; Curlin; Lawyer Ron, John Velazquez; and multiple stakes victor

INDY WIND (A.P. Indy), Rafael Bejarano.

Each starter will carry 126 pounds except Curlin, who gets a four-pound weight

break from his elders.