Saratoga Springs, NY (My Sportsbook) - Reigning Horse of the Year Curlin returns to the races Saturday in the $500,000 Woodward Stakes at Saratoga Race Course versus seven rivals. This will be the first ever start for the colt at his home track.

Owned by Stonestreet and Midnight Cry Stables, Curlin has been made the 3-5 morning-line favorite for the 1 1/8 mile race and will start from post five with regular rider Robby Albarado in the saddle.

"You have little kids wanting to know about Curlin and that alone shows you just how special he is," said Albarado, who won this race with Mineshaft in 2003. "Curlin's got it all, speed, stamina, heart, ability, but now, as time goes on, he's got an aura about him. He's matured and he knows how special he is. He's an amazingly popular animal."

The colt enters the Woodward with earnings of $9,496,800. A win in the race would boost Curlin's earnings to $9,796,800, and he would surpass Skip Away, who is currently second on the all-time thoroughbred money-winning list with $9,616,360. Cigar holds the record with $9,999,815.

"As magnificent looking as he is on the outside, he's probably even more magnificent on the inside," said trainer Steve Asmussen.

Curlin's last race was on turf in the Man o'War at Belmont Park when he finished second to Red Rocks. He won the $6 million Dubai World Cup this year along with the Stephen Foster Handicap.

Divine Park, winner of the Met Mile at Belmont Park this year, is a respectable 3-1 in the program with Alan Garcia back to ride. The pair will break from the post just to the inside of Curlin.

Trained by Kiaran McLaughlin for owner James Barry, Divine Park is currently on a three-race win streak that includes the Westchester Handicap. The four- year-old colt has career earnings of $607,935 with six wins in eight starts.

Hall of Fame trainer Nick Zito has the 8-1 third choice in the Woodward with Wanderin Boy. The seven-year-old will start from the outside post in the eight-horse field with Julien Leparoux riding.

Wanderin Boy, who is owned by Stone Farm, is coming off an allowance victory at Saratoga and was third in the Alysheba at Churchill Downs in May. In last year's Woodward the chestnut horse was seventh to Lawyer Ron.

In 22 lifetime starts, he has won nine races for earnings of $1,013,759.

Here is the complete field for the Woodward in post position order: A.P. Arrow, Cornelio Velasquez 20-1; Loose Leaf, Eibar Coa 15-1; Past the Point, Edgar Prado 15-1; Divine Park, Alan Garcia 3-1; Curlin, Robby Albarado 3-5; Dr. D.F.C., Aldo Arboleda 50-1; Out of Control, John Velazquez 12-1; and Wanderin Boy, Julien Leparoux 8-1.