Big Brown ... Triple Crown?

[Doc Milo]

On May 3, a horse, owned by UPS, named Big Brown was assigned the number 20 post position in the Kentucky Derby. This is a far outside post. Meaning, to have any shot at winning, he would have to break from the post and race at a greater speed than any other horse in the race just to put himself in a position to win. After the initial break from the gate, Big Brown gained a position four wide on the outside. There he stayed for most of the race, until he broke loose. Big Brown ended up winning the Kentucky Derby by four lengths.

On May 17, Big Brown drew the number 7 post position in a 12 horse field. He stayed with the pace, keeping back in the number three position. For most of the race, it seemed as if the Jockey was holding the horse back. When they hit the stretch, the jockey stopped holding the horse, and the horse took off. He won the Preakness by 5 1/2 lengths. The jockey did not have to use the whip on the horse a single time. Big Brown, it seemed, won handily without even breaking a sweat.

In two weeks, on June 7, 2008, Big Brown races for his spot in history. There, running in the Belmont Stakes -- a mile and one half run -- Big Brown will be seeking to become a Triple Crown winner. No one since Affirmed in 1978 has accomplished this feat -- ten horses have tried and failed in the interim.

To win the Triple Crown, the horse will be ruinning in its third grueling race within a five week period. Most horses only run once every four weeks.

I believe it is time for a Triple Crown winner, and I believe Big Brown has the ability to do it.

[Lilaena De'Ville]

From what I've read, Big Brown seems likely to become a Triple Crown winner. I was really troubled to read about Eight Belles, however, in the Kentucky Derby, and to hear about how thoroughbreds are having weakness bred into them. :(

[CMJ]

I started following horseracing in a mild form when I was like 10. Over the years it has become one of the ones that I follow relatively closely. In my time I've seen several horses get close to the Triple Crown - and still others that achieved greatness at a later age.

It's hard to say since we've only seen him a few times, but Big Brown looks as talented a horse as I've ever seen. I'm not sure how much of that is the lack of depth of this 3 year old class, but my God BB looks amazing. I've seen horses blow out the competition in the stretch before, but man...I don't think I've seen something that decisive in awhile. He coulda won by 10 or more lengths and it was like he wasn't even trying.

Is he as good a horse as Point Given, or Smarty Jones, or Sunday Silence(or some of the other great ones of the last 20 years or so)? Who knows really. But should he win he'll be immortalized.

[jjwr]

Great post Milo.

I'm not a horse racing fan and like most only pay attention to these three races but I would love to see it happen. I'll probably watch the race in hopes of seeing it happen.

My boss told his son that if Big Brown won the Preakness he would take him to Belmont....guess they're making the trip :)

[Doc Milo]

Great post Milo.

I'm not a horse racing fan and like most only pay attention to these three races but I would love to see it happen. I'll probably watch the race in hopes of seeing it happen.

My boss told his son that if Big Brown won the Preakness he would take him to Belmont....guess they're making the trip :)


For twenty years, I've been working for NYC OTB -- first as an hourly employee as I worked my way through college, and now as a supervisor -- and I can honestly say that I have not seen a horse quite like this one.

In years past, horses like Smarty Jones, Real Quiet, etc... have all been caught in the Belmont by horses that they just beat out in either the derby or the preakness. Big Brown did not just beat out anyone -- he won handily in both races.

The one thing that Big Brown has to guard against is what I call the Secretariat syndrome. Many horses who win the first two legs end up going to the front in the Belmont and trying to set the pace, and finish wire-to-wire. But the Belmont is a long race -- 1 1/2 miles. It's best to keep pace, and let loose at the end when the lesser horses will have blown themselves out....

It is possible, however, that Big Brown is good enough to take it wire-to-wire. I just think that he would be better served not even trying that, since it's proven to be the death-knell of many would-be Triple Crown wannabes....

[CMJ]

Smarty Jones did not "just beat out" anyone either. He won the Derby convicingly over everyone but Lionheart(who didn't run the Belmont) and then destroyed the field in the Preakness.

[Doc Milo]

Smarty Jones did not "just beat out" anyone either. He won the Derby convicingly over everyone but Lionheart(who didn't run the Belmont) and then destroyed the field in the Preakness.

Ah, yes. I forgot about that (too many races have I seen in 20 years!)

But MOST of the recent horses that went for the TC fit in with that description....

[CMJ]

I know Doc...I just try to stay even keeled. I've been heartbroken too many times since 1997.

Oddly enough, I as rooting against the TC my 1st year of following the sport. I was an Easy Goer guy, so I was thrilled when he took down Sunday Silence in the Belmont. Little did I know 20 some odd years later that might've been the best chance there was.

[Ryan Pode]

Big Brown will win it. He had so much energy left after the Preakness, which tho it's the shortest track, I think he'll have enough to finish first in New York.

[Hartus Kenobi]

I have no idea what effect this would have on a horse, but I heard they were concerned about Big Brown's cracked hoof or something?

[Liam Jinn]

And Big Brown comes in last. Weird.

[CMJ]

I think his lack of training due to his hoof injury was too much. He trained very little the last couple of weeks, and you need to be at your peak to go 1.5 miles.

[Jedi Master Carr]

I think the hoof injury either the training or it slowed him down is what caused it.

[Park Kraken]

So is it off to the glue factory for Big Brown?

[Cat X]

So is it off to the glue factory for Big Brown?

Nah. Why waste perfectly good meat for just glue? My cats are hungry

[Figrin D'an]

So is it off to the glue factory for Big Brown?

His stud rights were sold already after the Preakness. Despite coming in last at the Belmont, he's still a winner of two of the three Triple Crown legs, which means he's still worth a lot.

[CMJ]

His owners wiill be getting like 200K a pop for him to have sex. Sounds like the life to me. :lol

[Lilaena De'Ville]

I'm glad the jockey took the initiative not to push him to what might have been an Eight Belles type finish. More people should have the horses' well being in mind when they race them like this.

[Park Kraken]

I was actually being entirely sarcastic about my statement. I love the sport of horse racing about as much as the jockeys and owners love their horses (re: just about nil).

[Ryan Pode]

See, there you go bein' ignoran' again Kraken. Jockeys, trainers, and owners do love those animals. Not just because they usually cost more than all of us make in a year multiplied, but because they spend a lot of time with the animal do become connected to it.