Elmont, NY (My Sportsbook) - Leading thoroughbred racehorse Curlin has been made the 3-5 favorite for Saturday's $500,000 Man o' War Stakes at Belmont Park. The four-year-old colt will be making his first start on the turf in the 1 3/8 mile race.

Checking in as the 5-1 second choice is 2006 Breeders' Cup Turf champ Red Rocks with Better Talk Now the 6-1 third pick. Better Talk Now won the Breeders' Cup Turf in 2004 and was runner-up to Red Rocks two years later.

It's not surprising that Curlin, last year's Horse of the Year, is the favorite for his first career grass race. However, 3-5 is far too low with him facing a quality field of turf runners in the Man o' War. Even-money should have been the cut-off point for the morning-line.

Trained by Steve Asmussen for majority owner Jess Jackson, Curlin will be attempting to do what Secretariat did at the end of his great career. Secretariat moved to the turf for the final two starts of his career. He won the Man o' War by five-lengths, going wire-to-wire, and then closed his storybook career with a victory in the Canadian International at Woodbine.

"The perfect plan for us, for me, for Curlin and for everybody associated with him, is to first establish his level of quality on the turf in the Man o'War, and not get ahead of ourselves," said Asmussen. "We have to see if he can compete at the same level."

Asmussen and Jackson are planning to run Curlin in France this autumn in the Prix Foy and the Prix de L'arc de Triomphe at Longchamp Race Course in Paris on October 5. The Arc de Triomphe is considered Europe's most prestigious race.

"If he can compete at his level on the turf and we get the race that we expect, we will map out how to win the Arc with him," continued Asmussen. "I think that getting him over there immediately and getting him used to going right (on right-handed turns) would be the biggest obstacle that we face. If we establish that he's as good a horse on the turf as he is on the dirt, then we get him over there and get him relaxed, comfortable and confident, and doing right."

Curlin will be ridden by his regular jockey Robby Albarado and start from the outside post in the seven horse field. His connections could not have asked for a better spot from which to break in this his first grass endeavor. It's a small field and Albarado will be able to settle his mount early and observe the field at the start.

The winner's share from the Man o' War is $300,000, which, if Curlin wins, will push him past Skip Away on the career earnings list. He currently has $9,396,800 and Skip Away earned $9,616,360. Cigar is first on the list with $9,999,815.

If this is Curlin's final start in the United States, he and his people should be given an ovation both during the post parade and after the finish, no matter the result. It is now unusual for a champion thoroughbred to race beyond the age of three. Curlin has met every challenge and has proven to be an all-time great.