Most of the crowd had straggled out of Nad Al Sheba Racecourse and there were no other horses in the holding barn behind the grandstand when Curlin returned there from the test barn following the greatest victory of his career.

Not long after dawn broke on Friday morning in Dubai, Scott Blasi decided to change plans with Curlin. Instead of taking the Horse of the Year to the main track at Nad Al Sheba-where Curlin will try to capture the $6 million Dubai World Cup (UAE-I) on Saturday - he opted to venture to the more secluded training track for the colt's final pre-race gallop.