Labor Day weekend is closing weekend at Saratoga, featuring the $500,000 Woodward Stakes (G1) on Saturday. The major local prep for the Jockey Club Gold Cup and Breeders' Cup Classic, this 1 1/8 mile main track event atracts top older horses, and this year 2007 Horse of the Year Curlin made his return to the main track. Sent off as the 2-5 choice by the crowd of 22,572, he was coming off a loss in his only turf start, a senc place effort in the Man O'War at Belmont, after winning the 2007 Jockey Club Gold Cup and Breeders' Cup Classic, followed by the 2008 Dubai World Cup and Stephen Foster Handicap. In to challenge the Steve Asmussen-trained son of Smart Strike included 9-2 second choice Divine Park, coming into the race off three straight wins including the Westchester and Metropolitan handicaps, and 8-1 third choice Wanderin Boy, an allowance winner last out after finishing third in the Alysheba at Churchill Downs.
Longshot Past the Point was sent to the front immediately by jockey Edgar Prado and he set quick fractions of 22.89, 46.20, and 1:09.61 while as many as 2 lengths ahead of Wanderin Boy, who in turn was 4 lengths ahead of the rest of the field. Divine Park on the inside and Curlin on the outside raced third and fourth respectively, about 6 lengths off the pace. Turning for home, Past the Point continued to lead while Divine Park faded from contention, and jockey Robby Albarado asked Curlin to challenge for the lead out three wide. Curlin drew alongside the pacesetter in midstretch after a mile in 1:35.33, then gradually pulled away through the final 1/8 to win by 1 1/4 lengths in a time of 1:49.34 over the fast track. It was another 1 1/2 lengths back to Wanderin Boy third.
