DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Horse of the Year Curlin has made a successful 4-year-old debut with a victory in a 1 1/4-mile race in Dubai.

Curlin defeated five rivals in his first race since winning the Breeders' Cup Classic last Oct. 25 at New Jersey's Monmouth Park. The colt also won last year's Preakness and ran second to the filly Rags to Riches in the Belmont Stakes.

Ridden by Robby Albarado, Curlin won for the seventh time in nine career starts for trainer Steve Asmussen.

Curlin won by 2¼ lengths over Familiar Territoy in the race run at Nad Al Sheba. The colt's next start is scheduled for the $6 million Dubai World Cup on March 29.