BIG BROWN

[Dell Yount]

Jockey, Kent Desormeaux aboard BIG BROWN...
winners of the first two jewels in the Triple Crown.

He absolutely dominated in the Kentucky Derby & Preakness Stakes,
and if Big Brown wins the Belmont Stakes he will join the "Immortal Eleven,"
becoming our 12th Triple Crown winner!!!

1919 Sir Barton
1930 Gallant Fox
1935 Omaha
1937 War Admiral
1941 Whirlaway
1943 Count Fleet
1946 Assault
1948 Citation
1973 Secretariat
1977 Seattle Slew
1978 Affirmed

It's been 30 years...
and it sure would be great for the sport
to have a Triple Crown winner this year!
2008 ??? ?????

THE BLIMP VIEW of the Preakness... is simply amazing.
...an absolutely beautiful and breathtaking move!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMoxifieuoI

 

[Kira's Mom]

I really think he can do it. He's strong and fast. Belmont is tricky and longer than the other two races, but I think Big Brown has it in him. I'd love to see a fourth Triple Crown winner in my lifetime! (Oops, just dated myself there!)

 

[tomalak301]

I'm really liking Kent Desormeaux both as a Jockey and Analyst. If he ever decides to quit jockeying than we can be an analyst for ESPN or something. He has the personality and it sounds always so very excited. His breakdown of his run this last weekend was some of the best ESPN has had to offer in the last few years.

 

[nevermore]

Great shot of the race there!

I'd say he has a chance, judging by the amount he had left in the tank at the end of the Preakness and the conservative race they ran. The only horse that sort of worries me is that Japanese horse, but I think it's only that horse's second or third start and the crowd may be a factor for him. I'd say it's Big Brown's race to lose.

 

[Dell Yount]

The disappointment of course would be...
if Big Brown wins the Triple Crown, then retires immediately to stud.
For the sake of the sport (and if BB remains sound),
I hope he will continue to race... but I seriously doubt that will happen.

--------------------------------------------------------------------
Trainer Dutrow on Big Brown's planned schedule:

“Our plan is the Belmont, Travers, and Breeders’ Cup,” Dutrow said.
“We are going to show up if our horse is good and ready.
I don’t know what they (Curlin’s connections) are going to do.
I would like to see them run together, it would be good for racing
and good for us; it won’t be so good for them.”
--------------------------------------------------------------------

If Big Brown wins the Belmont and becomes our 12th Triple Crown winner,
he certainly must be considered in any discussion of the "Great Ones,"
but if he doesn't run after the Belmont... he's at the bottom of the list of TC winners, imo.

 

[Dell Yount]

Most of the Triple Crown winners went on to race after their 3yo season:

1919 Sir Barton (31 Starts: 13 - 6 - 5)
At 4: WON Saratoga Handicap (beat EXTERMINATOR - 100 Starts: 50 - 17 - 17),
Dominion Handicap, Merchants & Citizens Handicap.

1930 Gallant Fox (17 Starts: 11 - 3 - 2)
He is the only Triple Crown winner to sire another Triple Crown winner (Omaha),
as well as the youngest horse to sire one, doing so at age 5.

1935 Omaha (22 Starts: 9 - 7 - 2)
At 4: WON Victor Wild Stakes (GB), Queen's Plate (GB);
2ND Ascot Gold Cup (GB), Prince of Wales's Stakes (GB)

1937 War Admiral (26 Starts: 21 - 3 - 1)
AT 4: WON Wilson Stakes, Queens County Handicap, Saratoga Cup,
Widener Handicap, Whitney Handicap, Jockey Club Gold Cup,
2ND Pimlico Special Handicap.

1941 Whirlaway (60 Starts: 32 - 15 - 9)
As a four-year-old, Whirlaway was a very successful handicap horse,
never finishing out of the money. WON Clark Handicap, Dixie Handicap,
Brooklyn Handicap, Garden State Stakes, Narragansett Special, Jockey gold Cup.
Also among Whirlaway's successes that season were the Washington Handicap
and the Governor Bowie Stakes. Whirlaway took the Pimlico Special in a walkover.
No one dared oppose the star.
Finished the season with a victory in the Louisiana Handicap,
becoming the first horse to win more than a half million dollars
and earning Horse of the Year honors for the second time.

1943 Count Fleet (21 Starts: 16 - 4 - 1)
Count Fleet did not race as a four-year-old after it was discovered
that he had injured his leg close to the joint between the cannon bone
and the fetter bone. He was retired to stud and enjoyed great success as a sire.
His offspring numbered 38 stakes winners, including Kentucky Derby winner Count Turf,
Belmont Stakes winners Counterpoint and One Count,
Count Fleet's daughters produced superhorse Kelso,
1965 Kentucky Derby winner, Lucky Debonair, and multiple Grade I stakes winner, Tompion.
Another daughter, Sequence, mated with 1955 Preakness and Belmont winner Nashua
to produce Gold Digger, dam of the enormously influential modern sire Mr. Prospector.

1946 Assault (21 Starts: 16 - 3 - 1)
At 4: WON - Brooklyn Handicap, Butler Handicap,
Suburban Handicap, Grey Lag Handicap, Dixie Handicap.

1948 Citation (42 Starts: 18 - 6 - 8)
1948 Triple Crown Winner, Champion 3yo & Horse of the Year
1950 & 1951 Champion older male
First to attain $1 million in earnings
First American horse to win 16 races in a row.

1973 Secretariat (21 Starts: 16 - 3 - 1)
Secretariat's owner entered into a syndication deal
that precluded the horse racing past age 3.

1977 Seattle Slew (17 Starts: 14 - 2 - 0)
Read More About It ~ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seattle_Slew

1978 Affirmed (29 Starts: 22 - 5 - 1)
At 4: WON Hollywood Gold Cup, Jockey Club Gold Cup,
Santa Anita Handicap, Strub Stakes, Woodward Stakes.



Big Brown's record: (5 Starts: 5 - 0 - 0)

 

[nevermore]

The disappointment of course would be...
if Big Brown wins the Triple Crown, then retires immediately to stud.
For the sake of the sport (and if BB remains sound),
I hope he will continue to race... but I seriously doubt that will happen.

It's almost certain he won't race past this season, though I do hope he at least has a shot in the Breeder's Cup.

Trainer Dutrow on Big Brown's planned schedule:

“Our plan is the Belmont, Travers, and Breeders’ Cup,” Dutrow said.
“We are going to show up if our horse is good and ready.
I don’t know what they (Curlin’s connections) are going to do.
I would like to see them run together, it would be good for racing
and good for us; it won’t be so good for them.”

I would love to see them race each other. They are not dissimilar in their styles of running. However, last I heard Curlin was slated for some European races and would likely skip the Breeder's Cup. Maybe his connections would change their minds if they knew it would basically be a match race with a Triple Crown winner though... I have to give them props for making the decision to keep him active through his 4-year-old campaign, and possibly a 5-year-old one as well. Of course, there are mitigating circumstances, I suppose...

If Big Brown wins the Belmont and becomes our 12th Triple Crown winner, he certainly must be considered in any discussion of the "Great Ones," but if he doesn't run after the Belmont... he's at the bottom of the list of TC winners, imo.

Agreed.