No Big Brown, no problem.
Reigning Horse of the Year and the all-time top money-winning horse in North America, four-year-old Curlin, will race for immortality and legendary status in the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic on Oct. 25 when he chases rarified air as the back-to-back winner of the BCC and Horse of the Year.

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Curlin Runs for History at Breeders' Cup 
by Scott Hettrick
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Curlin majority owner Jess Jackson and trainer Steve Asmussen announced today (Tuesday) that Curlin will indeed run in the BCC despite the shocking out-of-the-blue injury to Big Brown Monday that would have set up a historic showdown between the top two horses of 2007/08.
Nonetheless, Curlin had a very successful workout Monday afternoon at the new synthetic Pro-Ride track surface at Santa Anita Park (click here for the media release details of his running times, and click image below for an 80-second video of his run) and he will run against a strong field of top European and American contenders and undefeated Japanese three-year-old thoroughbred Casino Drive, who won at Santa Anita on Sunday.

I'm not a big horse race afficionado, only a casual fan who pays attention primarily only when something historic is about to happen, especially when it's in my backyard. Kind of like my interest in pro tennis, golf, and Olympic events like track-and-field, gymnastics, and bobsledding.
In fact, I never even heard of Curlin until last month when the buzz started that he might be lured to Breeders' Cup, where my wife Betty and I will volunteer again for the day as we did a few years ago, along with my mother Pat from Missouri and her friend Glen, as well as hundreds of Arcadians.
Since then, I have learned enough to sound like I know what I'm talking about to those who are still where I was last month, and I'm quite excited about the prospects of this East Coast horse achieving some superstar-type records here in Arcadia at Santa Anita. Who knows, maybe there will be a "Seabiscuit"-type movie in the future called "Curlin" that we will be able to relate to our grandkids (if we ever have any; no pressure, girls).
For instance, I have learned that Curlin has never raced on a synthetic surface but I noticed he looked quite comfortable Monday as you will see by clicking the video above that I ran up to shoot at the track when I read in the morning papers that he would be doing a test run between the fourth and fifth races -- me and plenty of other people who apparently read the same stories.
(Click here to see my other videos about the recent re-installation of the new Pro-Ride track: Part 1 and Part 2. To see videos of the original track replacment in 2007, click here for Cushion Track Installation and Related Improvements.)
Much more compelling to me, only one other horse -- Tizno, 2000/01 -- has ever won back-to-back Breeders' Cup Classics, and Curlin could become the first horse in more than a decade to win consecutive Horse of the Year titles. Cigar was the last to do it in 1995/96. Curlin surpassed Cigar last month as horse racing's career earnings leader when he won the Gold Cup to push earnings past $10 million.
Unlike Big Brown, who has had persistent problems with his feet, had to pull up in his quest for the Triple Crown, and scraped skin off his foot during a workout Monday that will send him to early retirement, Curlin has remained remarkably consistent in running in the money in all the triple Crown races past the age that most successful horses are sent to stud farms.
At least, that's what I read.
I'll know more in the next two weeks, and I'm even planning on taking my mother and wife to see the Living Legends Race this Saturday, another historic event filled with riders we're only somewhat familiar with but are very anxious to witness.