Curlin, with jockey Robby Albarado aboard, crosses the finish line to win the Breeders' Cup Classic race at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, New Jersey yesterday. - Reuters

OCEANPORT, New Jersey (AP)

CURLIN PUT the finishing touches on a championship season with a stirring stretch run and splashed his way to victory in the US$5 million Breeders' Cup Classic at Monmouth Park yesterday.

The race was marred in the final yards when European star George Washington broke down and was euthanised on the track.

Curlin, the Preakness winner, moved into contention around the final turn and swept past Hard Spun and Lawyer Ron before a cheering crowd that had endured a rain deluge most of the day.

In a meteoric rise to stardom, Curlin capped a sensational campaign by once again defeating Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense as well as leading older horse Lawyer Ron and all his other three-year-old rivals. Trained by Steve Asmussen, Curlin won for the sixth time in nine starts and has never been worse than third.

The victory was tempered by yet another horrifying breakdown in one of racing's biggest events. With Curlin and jockey Robby Albarado crossing the finish line, George Washington was in distress after shattering his right front ankle.

Colt put down

A brown screen was brought out on the track to prevent the fans from watching, and the four-year-old colt was put down at the request of trainer Aidan O'Brien.

"He had a fracture in his ankle and dislocated his ankle. That's a hopeless injury," said Larry Bramlage, the track's on-call veterinarian. "The trainer requested that he immediately be euthanised."

In last year's Breeders' Cup Distaff, Pine Island broke down and was euthanised and Fleet Indian sustained a career-ending injury. In last year's Preakness, Derby winner Barbaro suffered catastrophic injuries at the start of the race and was euthanised eight months later.

Curlin, coming off a victory over Lawyer Ron in the Jockey Club Gold Cup, finished 4 1/2 lengths ahead of Hard Spun, with long shot Awesome Gem third and Street Sense fourth.

The big chestnut colt covered the 1 1/4 miles in 2:00.59 over a sloppy track.

For Street Sense, the loss was tough to take in the final race of his brilliant career.