First foal for Curlin

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Two-time Horse of the Year Curlin is officially a sire. The 6-year-old horse's first foal, a bay filly, was born at Burleson Farms in Midway, Ky., on Jan. 12.

The filly is out of Zophie, the dam of 2006 Spinaway winner Appealing Zophie.

Zophie is a 15-year-old Hawkster winner out of the Seattle Slew mare Sodeo Sodeo. She also is the dam of American course record-setter Kal El, who set a 4 1/2-furlong turf mark of 49.06 in 2008 at Mountaineer.

Curlin retired to stud in 2008 and stood his first season in 2009. He earned $10,501,800 from 11 victories, including wins in the 2007 Preakness Stakes and Breeders' Cup Classic, the 2008 Dubai World Cup and Stephen Foster Handicap, 2008 Woodward Stakes, and back-to-back runnings of the Jockey Club Gold Cup in 2007 and 2008. He was voted champion 3-year-old in 2007 and champion older horse in 2008, and he earned the Horse of the Year title for both years.

Curlin stands at Lane's End in Versailles, Ky., alongside his sire, Smart Strike.