I don't think that the Ark derby was ever a G1. Obviously since the success of Smarty Jones and Afleet Alex Oaklawn is really lobbying hard for G1 status. Now with Curlin's Preakness win they have more ammunition.
As for the article, it seems a bit "sour grapes" to me. If you do a bit of digging on just about any owner you'll find some "dirt." I know alot of industry insiders don't care for Jackson and Sanan's lawsuits and proposals regarding horse sales but honestly, the business is as crooked as a stick in water. They have a point. What I don't like is the whiney tone about "buying a classic winner for $3.5m." What's wrong with that? Tons of horses change hands in the months leading up to the TC, usually sold by the moderately wealthy to the extremely wealthy. Twas ever thus.
Why the comparison to Smarty Jones when taking of the original purchase price? The media bought into the idea of Smarty as some "blue collar hero" even though his sire was owned by a Shiekh and held a world record. Elusive Quality was a high class sire prospect when Smarty was concieved. He was hardly Ol' Bob Bowers. Had Curlin not been sold to Padua and Jackson, he'd be the next "working class horse" after all he "only" cost $57k.
I do see the smarmy attorneys who are disbarred in KY as a bit of a blot on his ownership, but if I'm not mistaken, they were the original owners, who'd paid the $57k for Curlin.
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