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Curlin’s regular rider Robby Albarado has died at the age of 52 following a heart procedure in Saratoga Springs, New York.
The former jockey underwent surgery last week to have a stent placed to treat a blockage near his heart. He had been discharged from hospital at the time of his death on Tuesday, but no further details are known.
Albarado is one of an elite group of 32 jockeys to ride more than 5,000 winners. Among the most memorable of those victories were guiding Curlin to success in the Triple Crown’s second leg, the Preakness Stakes, the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Monmouth Park in 2007, and the Dubai World Cup at Nad Al Sheba in 2008.
Albarado won seven top-level races on Curlin, and added a second Preakness victory on the filly Swiss Skydiver in 2020. He retired from race-riding at the end of the following season and had been working as an exercise rider for Swiss Skydiver’s trainer Kenny McPeek in recent years.
Curlin was a dual horse of the year, while Albarado was also the regular partner of another in Mineshaft, on whom he won four Grade 1s.
Born on September 11, 1973, the Louisiana native began riding at bush tracks at the age of 12 and recorded his first win in 1990. He moved to the Kentucky circuit in 1996 and won numerous riding titles.
He rode in more than 34,000 races, recording 5,222 victories and earning just over $221 million in prize-money. He registered 39 Grade 1 wins on 26 different horses.
Robby Albarado at Churchill Downs in 2018Credit: Sean Haffey (Getty Images)
Curlin was the horse Albarado was most associated with, and the pair added an international success to their CV with a Dubai World Cup triumph by seven and three-quarter lengths from the Johnny Murtagh-ridden Asiatic Boy.
“It was as easy as it looked; he is such a special horse,” Albarado said after that triumph. “I don’t want to take anything away from the field, but he has shown he is the best horse in the world.”
Besides his victory aboard Curlin, Albarado captured two other Breeders’ Cup races: the 2009 Juvenile Fillies Turf on Tapitsfly and the 2011 Mile on Court Vision.
A statement from the Breeders’ Cup read: “We are saddened to learn of the passing of Robby Albarado, whose unforgettable victory aboard Curlin in the 2007 Breeders’ Cup Classic remains a defining moment in Breeders’ Cup history.
“A gifted horseman and fierce competitor, he dedicated his life to thoroughbred racing and left a lasting mark on the sport. Our heartfelt condolences are with his family, friends, and members of the racing community who are mourning his loss.”
Curlin and Robby Albarado win the 2007 Breeders’ Cup Classic at a muddy Monmouth ParkCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)
Churchill Downs president Mike Anderson said in a statement: “Saying goodbye to someone who left us too soon is extremely difficult. The Churchill Downs family is saddened by this devastating loss and we extend our deepest condolences to his family and numerous friends.”
Horse Racing Nation first reported Albarado’s death, citing McPeek as the source, who noted: “He was a very good friend and a top horsemen. This is rough.”
Another trainer Albarado was closely associated with was Dale Romans, who said: “We shared great victories and unforgettable moments but above all, he was family. Our hearts and prayers are with his children and everyone who loved him.
“He was my main rider for a long time. He was a good friend to his friends, including me. He was hard-working, talented at what he did, was always upbeat, a good man to be around. He texted me Sunday: ‘I feel like a new person,’ with a muscle emoji.
“To pick out one race he rode for me, Court Vision would be the one. He got up by a nose. He told me the week before, working him on the turf, that he’d never been better and he could win this race. And he won the Breeders’ Cup Mile at 60-1. Got up by a whisker. He had a great opinion of a horse.”
