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Curlin leads 2014 Racing Hall of Fame inductees

By WTOP Staff

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. (AP) — Curlin, a two-time Horse of the Year who retired as North America’s all-time leading money earner, led the class of inductees into the National Museum of Racing’s Hall of Fame Friday.

Joining Curlin were two thoroughbreds, three horsemen and a pair of sportsmen enshrined during a ceremony at the Fasig-Tipton Sales Pavilion near Saratoga Race Course, where the nation’s best thoroughbreds are competing.

Late Kendall-Jackson wine magnate Jess Jackson purchased Curlin following his impressive debut victory in February 2007, and the son of Smart Strike went on to become only the fifth horse and first since Cigar in 1995-96 to be voted back-to-back Eclipse Awards as Horse of the Year in 2007 and 2008.

“My husband loved this horse,” said Barbara Banke, Jackson’s widow who owns and operates Stonestreet Stables. “He devised a path to greatness for the horse, and it was a magnificent ride for two years. It was unbelievably exciting and very quick.”

Curlin ran in all three legs of the Triple Crown in 2007 against what experts have regarded as the best 3-year-old crop in recent memory, winning the Preakness and later adding the Jockey Club Gold Cup and Breeders’ Cup Classic against older horses.

In 2008, Curlin won the world’s richest race, the $6 million Dubai World Cup, along with the Stephen Foster, Woodward and Jockey Club Gold Cup, all Grade 1 events. Trained by Steve Asmussen, he finished with 11 wins and $10,501,800 in purse earnings from 16 lifetime starts.

“It was a wonderful ride,” said Banke. “This is a sport of dreamers. Jess was a dreamer. I’m a dreamer. If you’re not a dreamer, you don’t belong in the sport.”

The other inductees were:

— Ashado, a two-time champion who won 12 of 21 lifetime starts with earnings of more than $3.9 million from 2003-05. Trained by Todd Pletcher for the partnership of Starlight Stables, Paul Saylor and Johns Martin, she won seven Grade 1 stakes and the Eclipse Award as top 3-year-old filly of 2004 and top older mare of 2005.

— Clifford, who put together a record of 42 wins, 10 seconds and eight thirds in 62 starts over a seven-year career that ended in 1897. He later became a successful stallion at the former Hurricana Farm in nearby Amsterdam, New York.

— Alex Solis, an active jockey with 4,991 victories and more than $235 million in purse earnings since coming to the U.S. from Panama in 1982. The regular rider of 1986 Preakness winner and champion 3-year-old Snow Chief, he has won 321 graded stakes.

— Lloyd Hughes, the first jockey to win the Preakness Stakes three times. Born in Wales in 1857, he captured the Preakness in 1875, 1879 and 1880 and also won the Belmont Stakes and Travers Stakes twice before his death in 1925.

— Gary Jones, a winner of 1,465 races, 102 graded stakes and $52.6 million from 1974-96. Among his top horses were Hall of Famer Best Pal, turf champion Turkoman and Grade 1 winners Quiet American, Lakeway, Lightning Mandate and Radar Ahead.

— Edward R. Bradley, who owned four Kentucky Derby winners, three Preakness winners and two Belmont Stakes winners. He also bred 128 stakes winners and 15 champions as owner of Idle Hour Stock Farm.

— Edward P. Taylor, a world-wide breeder of more than 320 stakes winners and 54 champions, most notably 1954 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Northern Dancer.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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