Entries tagged with “Big Brown” from Picture This

Forget the boys - the girls ruled yesterday at Saratoga.  The best 3-year old fillies in the country met to fight it out in the Grade I Alabama.

And what a thrill these ladies gave us - an all-out down the stretch battle between the Larry Jones trained Proud Spell, and Gadolphin owner Music Note. 

Music Note (left) battles Proud Spell 

I was yelling on the photographer's platform, "C'mon little girl! C'mon!  Do it!"  And down the stretch they ran, Proud Spell was NOT letting Music Note get by - no way,.  She dug in and prevailed by a head.

I will admit a bias towards Proud Spell.  I've been following her since last year.  I was a fan of her daddy, Proud Citizen.  She is the essence of eficiency, never running worse than 3rd.  She was the best of the best yesterday, the best fillies in the country ran 1-2-3 (Music Note 2nd, and pace setter Little Belle running 3rd).  

Gabriel Saez celebrates aboard Proud Spell

This is what racing is all about - the best meeting the best to do batttle where it counts - on the track, as these ladies did, not a continuing battle of words, as the connections of Big Brown and Curlin continue to do.  All this jive talking about who's horse is faster.

A bunch of blow hards I say.  They talk the talk, but they don't walk the walk.

It seems to me the connections of Big Brown are desperately seeking a turf race to designed for them to run their colt in.  Anything so as not to have to face Curlin, on the dirt, where Curlin rules.  Michael Iavarrone keeps talking about these well laid plans for Big Brown, like these "plans" are on a set-in-stone that cannot be changed.  And Jesse keeps talking about the doubt in running Curlin in the classic on the new, and yet untested synthetic suface of Santa Anita, home of this year's Breeder's Cup. 

Big Brown winning the 2008 Haskell Invitational

Hey guys!  PLANS CAN BE CHANGED!  IEAH is probably concerned with a Big Brown lose before the Breeder's Cup Classic my decrease his stud fee.  Jesse Jackson is concerned about running Curlin on an untested "plastic" surface, and damaging his "legacy" or something as such.  I say put up or shut up.

I briefly spoke to Jerry Bossert, who covers horse racing for the New York Daily News, regarding an article he wrote last week in the paper, in which I am in total agreement over, where he basically says that boths camps - for all their trash talking - are basically ducking each other.

Did someone say "Quack!"

It’s been a few weeks since I’ve written and posted anything, so there’s a few things I needs to catch up on.

 

First let me say again - Curlin is THE BEST HORSE IN THE WORLD!

 

 

Curlin wins Stephen Foster  Equisports Photos 2008 

 

The 2007 Horse of the Year Curlin made his first North American start since winning in Dubai in the Stephen Foster at Churchill Downs on June 14th.  Racing under 128 lbs, and giving away 10 - 15 pounds to his rivals, Curlin was the easiest of winners, winning by 4 ¼ lengths over 2^nd place Einstein.  This was his fifth consecutive win, and makes Curlin the 3^rd richest horse in North America ($9.4 million), behind Cigar ($9.99 million), and Skip Away ($9.6 million).

 

The next scheduled workout for Curlin is due to be on the turf on July 1^st.  If he handles the turf, his next start will be on the turf in the Arlington Handicap, or the Man O’War at Belmont, on July 12^th.  If this experiment works, Curlin will be pointed to the Arc D’Triumphe in France.  

 

I would love to see Curlin take on the best in Europe, and possibly beat them.  I applaud Jess Jackson for thinking outside the box and trying to make Curlin, truly, the Best in the world.

 

Two other horses I want to note, won today as well.  The first was my original Derby Horse, Pyro,  was running in the Northern Dancer, against some other Triple Crown trail horses, such as Visionaire, Recapturetheglory, and Texas Wildcatter.  Pyro unleashed his patented kick down the stretch, and won easy.  I’m very glad he is back.

 

 

Ginger Punch wins Ogden Phipps At Belmont   2008 Sue K Photos

 

2007 champion older female, Ginger Punch ran that same day at Belmont in the Ogden Phipps.  The 5-year old daughter of Awesome Again made her 5 opponents look like a bunch of claimers, as she showed she was back, and in top form with an easy 7 ¾ length victory, after stalking the pace along the back stretch.  She came home under a hand ride by Rafael Bejarano.  Very glad Heir Stronach has kept her around as 5-year old.  Hopefully I can see her again in the Breeder’s Cup at Santa Anita in October.

 

BIG BROWN - IN SEACH OF AN EXCUSE …..

 

Seems the media, as well as Big Brown’s connections are still looking for a rhyme or a reason for the colt’s embarrassing last place finish in the Belmont stakes.  There have been a number of excuses, …uh, … I mean reasons put forth, such as:

1. The horse didn’t get his steroid shot;
2. The quarter crack caused discomfort;
3. 5 days missed training due to said crack;
4. The horse was too rank and tired;
5. The weather - it was too hot, and;
6. He was not sweating as he should in that heat;
7. Didn’t like the Belmont surface;
8. The starter on the track - I guess the starter’s fashion sense (White pants/dark blue jacket) frightened the horse;
9. The trash talk of Dutrow pissed off the racing gods;
10. Jim McKay died that morning - bad karma;
11. Kent was paid off and/or his family was threatened by thugs - it's the only explanation for THAT DREADFUL RIDE;
12. There was another shooter over on the grassy knoll.

 The newest reason/excuse put forth - a loose shoe with a nail jabbing him in his foot.  Bloodhorse published a photo that showed a loose shoe with a loose nail.  Mike Iavarone grabbed onto that like a dumb blond grabs onto a billionaire.

 

 

 

Now pictures don’t lie (unless of course, it’s been Photoshopped), and I’ve posted what I could of a photo taken by my assistant Brian.  It looks like the shoe is loose and/or bent a bit.  And it is possible that it could have caused the horse problems.  Maybe all of the above, or any combination of the above, caused Big Brown to run abysmally.

 

Maybe the problem is that Big Brown is a horse, and not a machine, and it was just not his day.  Maybe that is the reason, or not.  Maybe simply because it’s a horse race, and anything can, and usually does, happen.  It’s going to remain one of racing’s mysteries ….

 

The 140th Belmont Stakes was to be a coronation - a “forgone conclusion” that Big Brown would become the 12th Triple Crown champion.

Instead, it will forever be noted that Big Brown “DNF” - Did Not Finish.  The worst finish EVER by a triple crown contender.

There were many people looking to be play Monday quarterback, and now it’s my turn.

First congratulations are in order to Nick Zito, whose Da’Tara won it wire to wire, and staggered home in a time of 2:29: & change, and was the longest shot on the board at 35-1, even higher odds than the maiden Guadalcanal, at 22-1.  I never would have picked Da’Tara, who was ridden by Allan Garcia, to hold on for the 1 ½ mile.

Da'Tara is upset winner of the Belmont Stakes

What exactly was the reason for Big Brown’s embarrassing finish?

Could it have been the 96 degree temperatures, which made the day miserable for man and beast?  I’m sure it didn’t help, but Big Brown at least avoided heat stroke.  After the running of the True North, Saint Daimon, was suffering from heat stroke, kicking out wildly and fighting whenever asked to move forward.  He was doused continually with water, alcohol, and had an Artic horse blanket placed on his back in an effort to cool him down - which took about 10 minutes.  He was then able to walk of under his own accord.  In contrast, Big Brown was barely sweating when he came back.  Don’t think the heat was a major factor.

Was it the withdrawal from not receiving his monthly injection of Winstrol, a steroid that caused many an eyebrow to be raised when Dutrow freely admitted that all his horses got their monthly steroid shot?  Dutrow decided not to give Big Brown his May shot, due two days before his Preakness win.  He also didn’t give him his vitamin shot either. Maybe he lost a little bit of an edge having his traditional  pharmaceuticals being messed with.

The quarter crack was an issue after all.  Not that it caused him discomfort while running, but it did cause him to miss a number of days from training while it was being dealt with by Dutrow.  Training that is vital coming into a 1 1/2 mile race, can only hurt the fitness level of the horse.  Maybe he did indeed “run out of gas” as Desormeaux stated.  More on him in a few paragraphs.

Maybe the racing gods deemed that Dutrow and EIAH were not worthy of winning the crown.  That Dutrow, with his 33 page rap sheet, and Michael Ivorrone, with his slightly dubious Wall Street credentials, were shady enough that they were less than pure of heart, not deserving of such a prize.

Maybe the racing gods wished to punish Dutrow and all his crowing, boasts, dismissal of the competition, and proclamations of certainty doomed his horse to failure.  It would not be the first time that arrogance of a trainer doomed a horse to failure.  Look at Bud Delp, who proclaimed Spectacular Bid “the greatest horse to look through a bridle.”  He finished 3rd, in part due to stepping on that damned safety pin, and a crappy ride given by Ron Franklin.  Or in 1981, when Johnny Campo boasted in his daily newspaper how Pleasant Colony would beat up on the bums entered against him - he also finished 3rd.

Big Brown is eased

Both trainers had to eat humble pie, and they did immediately after their horse crossed the finish line.  Delp and Campo had a sense of class, unlike Dutrow, who immediately told members of the press “don’t even think about it”  when asked for a comment on his horses stunning loss.  He ran out of the stands and over to his barn faster than his horse ran around the track.  Total class act there - NOT!

Last but not least is Kent Desormeaux, the jockey of Big Brown.  Is it just me, or could Kent have given a more amateur ride than he gave Big Brown that first quarter mile of the race?  In five strides out of the gate, Big Brown was tossing his head and veering sharply left to the inside rail, tossing his head and almost running up on Da’Tara’s heels - I have a slightly fuzzy picture of him doing it - and he looked pissed off.  Desormeaux jerked him back, then tried to jerk him outside, then back inside before knocking into Anak Nakal in an attempt to get to the outside. 

I guess he forgot that he had a whole 1 ½ mile to work his way to the outside.  He also forgot that Big Brown won his very first race from the number 1 spot, that he won by over 12 lengths.  He can win from the one hole.

Big Brown fights Desormeaux down the stretch

But not this time.  After 1 mile, Desormeaux says he asked Big Brown to go, but the horse did not respond - “he was out of gas.” Kent said.  So Desormeaux decided to due the logical thing - he quit.  He felt the horse had no chance to get on the board, so he quit.  But interestingly enough, Big Brown did not want to quit - he fought Desormeaux all the way down the stretch as Kent try to keep him at a gallop, tossing his head the whole way.

I understand Kent did not want to harm the horse, but I feel if the horse was not in distress, he should have ridden him to the end.  At least beat the maiden for Christ Sake’s.  Plus it’s in the rules, unless a horse is in distress, he is supposed to be ridden out.  That’s what it says.  It to be fair to the bettors, who expect to be given a fair chance to win their bet.  They did not get a fair chance.  And neither did the 94,000 plus fans who braved the sweltering heat, and lack of working toilets, for a chance to watch history.  They were cheated.

Kent Desormeaux pulled a Roberto Duran, who when realizing he was getting a major ass- whooping at the hands of Sugar Ray Leonard, threw up his hands and said “No mas!”, and walked away -just quit.  Desormeaux said “no mas” and walked away, and I feel cheated.  We all should feel cheated.

One day and counting to the Belmont Stakes and possibly sports history. At this point only a hermit in a cave doesn’t know that Big Brown is trying to become the 12th horse to win the elusive triple crown.

Big Brown works Friday morning 

 

So I had some random thoughts on this, but first let me report on the post position draw. I had the opportunity to go to the press breakfast/post position draw on Wednesday morning. I brought along my assistant Brian Esola, a young man with a very good eye, who will be shooting the races with me on Saturday. I brought him to the press conference, his first, going on the that two are more effective working the room, getting different shots, plus I figured it was something he would enjoy.

Belmont fed us well while we waited for the big guns to show up to get the show started. The eggs were good, and I have to be in the mood to eat eggs. I wasn’t in the mood, but they were good none the less.

Nobutaka Tada, manager of Hidetoshi Yamamoto's racing stable (Casino Drive)

They also gave us a little media guide, with information on all the horses who would be entered into the Belmont Stakes. Big Brown and Casino Drive each had 1 1/3 pages, showing their importance in the scheme of things. Denis of Cork, the third favorite, had a 1 2/3 of a page, not because he was more important, but because of Robby Albarado’s bio. The rest of the entries had a page each, except for Guadalcanal, who had no pages.

Wait a minute! Gaudal-who?

Guadalcanal. Guadal-who? Guadalcanal. Shocked the hell out of everyone else too. So much so that he wasn’t printed up n the media guide.

His trainer, Frank Seitz, in what must have a moment of temporary insanity, decided to enter this maiden at the last minute, and also being the owner, put up $20,000 to run him. Good thing he’s also the owner, because it would be a hard sell to push for a maiden to run, especially against Big Brown. I guess he was thinking of Nolan’s Cat, the maiden who a few years ago, ran third in the Belmont. Hopefully this horse won’t get heat stoke on Saturday.

Tom Durkin, the track announcer, was the Master of Ceremonies, and trying to keep things moving along, and interesting. Now it’s not terribly exciting to watch one guy shaking a bottle drawing out little numbered balls and announcing the horses names, nor watching the young lady, someone’s daughter in NYRA I’m sure, putting up the name tags. It was interesting watching Rick Dutrow’s face when he realized he got the 1 hole. He was not happy with it, regardless of what he said for the benefit of the press.

Rick Dutrow, trainer of Big Brown

Had the chance to speak with Hank Goldberg, of ESPN. Asked him if he thought Big Brown could be beat. He said no, that these were second rate horses, not a particularly good bunch. He also thought Casino Drive would be over bet, and wasn’t going to use him at all in his exotics. I found Hank’s lack of respect, at least gambling wise, for Casino Drive interesting. But then this is the same guy who like Hey Byrne.

I had to agree with Hank regarding these other horses, although I think Denis of Cork will put in a good run in this race, and should be on the board. I really would like to see BB win the Triple Crown. Solely because of the horse, I keep telling myself it’s about the horse, not the connections. But I can understand why there are those rooting against the connections for various reasons.

There are those who don’t like investment banker types, and finds IEAH’s way of doing horse business repulsive. And wish for them to lose. Considering that they have a stud deal for at least $60 million, I’d say they are winners either way.

There are those who think Dutrow is a major sleaze, a big time juicer and fuck up, with 33 pages of violations on his “wrap sheet” going back to 1976, Dutrow rap sheet.pdf , and that it is just wrong for him to win, as he sends the wrong message.

What ever you’re opinion is, I would like Big Brown to win the Triple Crown. My reason's were given in my previous entry.

Triple Crown trophy

Dominate Preakness Victory Sends Big Brown to New York

 Are you excited?  I know I am.  Big Brown is the 4th horse of the new millennium, joining War Emblem, Funny Cide and Smarty Jones, who have won the first two legs of the elusive Triple Crown.  He seems to have the best shot to do it.

Being trackside, one does not have a good perspective of how the race is unfolding, I just know Big Brown won with the greatest of ease.  It was not until I returned home, and watched the race that I became a believer in Big Brown. I believe we are looking at the 12th Triple Crown winner.  Big Brown actually slipped in the break, but still managed to get out of the gate quickly, and settle in along the rail behind pace setters Gayego and Riley Tucker.  Kent Desormeaux was patient, waiting to move Big Brown off the rail, and out of trouble, in third, never more than 2 lengths off the leaders.

Desormeaux began moving Big Brown around the far turn, past the tiring pacesetters.  At the top of the stretch, Kent shook his reins, and Big Brown showed a burst of acceleration that took my breath away, and left the other contenders in the dust.  He galloped for most of the Preakness. He actually raced for maybe 3 furlongs, and he won by 5 ¼ lengths, and was gearing down at the finish.  Desormeaux was leaving plenty in the tank for the Belmont.

On now to New York, and the Belmont Stakes, where racing destiny awaits Big Brown.  Also awaiting him will be Casino Drive, winner of the Peter Pan Stakes at Belmont on May 10th.

Casino Drive is an interesting story - an American-bred son of Mineshaft, out of the broodmare Better Than Honor, was purchased by Japanese businessman Hidetoshi Yamamoto for $950,000. He is ¾ brother to 2007 Belmont winner Rags To Riches, and ½ brother to the 2006 Belmont winner Jazil. His owner and his trainer, Kazuo Fujisawa, decided to bring Casino Drive to New York for the specific purpose of running in the Belmont.

They decided to prep him by running him, in his second start, in the Peter Pan Stakes.  Casino Drive was impressive and professional, finishing under a hand ride the 1 1/8 in 1:47.87. What made his win impressive is he did it not only in his second career start, but off a two-month layoff, long trip, and quarantine. 

Casino Drive winning the Peter Pan

Interestingly enough, Kent Desormeaux piloted the colt, and said afterwards, “Yeah, he can run a lot.  It’s going to be fun.  He’s a phenomenal talent, and we’ve got our hands full with this one.  It’s going to be exciting for all of the fans.  He’s got that stride.” 

Question is does Kent believe all of that, or is he just being, shall we say, diplomatic?  My guess is a little bit of both.  The colt obviously has talent, but who did he beat really?  And is a  1½ race too much for the colt’s 3rd start?  Maybe not, he has the breeding to do it.  And it would be unprecedented for a broodmare, Better Than Honour, to have 3 consecutive winners in the same classic race.  I believe someone put the odds at 40 trillion to 1.

Now, come Belmont Stakes day, Casino Drive will have better odds than that, but I don’t think it will matter.  I think Big Brown will inhale him, just like he did with other 31 rivals in the last two legs of the Triple Crown.

I have become a believer in Big Brown.  I have come to believe that Big Brown will be the 12th Triple Crown winner.  I know he will probably never set foot on the racetrack again if he wins on June 7th, but I don’t care. This is a special animal - he is a freak.  And racing needs this horse to win the Triple Crown.  It would be tremendous for racing’s PR, which has been hurting as of late.  It would also prove that it can still be done, that the formula doesn’t need to bee changed.  That D. Wayne Lukas and others were wrong for calling for the shortening of the distances of the Triple Crown races, and spacing the running dates further apart, all to accommodate commercially bred horses that only gasp to the finish line in 1 1/8 route races.

 

 

I want Big Brown to end the drought.  I want to see another Triple Crown winner - I saw Affirmed do it 30 years, I want to see Big Brown do it.  I want the chance to photograph a Triple Crown winner.  But mostly, for the sport, I want a Triple Crown winner.

 

 

 

 

This is the 2nd year I have been to the Kentucky Derby, and it is always an event - it is the Super bowl and Marde Gras rolled into one. This year the Derby was different - there was something special, and his name was Big Brown.  And I‘ll be the first to admit I had my doubts about Big Brown. I even changed my betting ticket, and placed Big Brown under in my exotics. Why did I do such a foolish thing? Well, I was not all that impressed with Big Brown going into this race, I felt that he had a lot to overcome coming into this race.

134th Kentucky Derby - Big Brown is an easy winner     Copyright Sue K Photo

It was five weeks since his Florida Derby win - granted, Barbaro had five weeks before his Derby, but it was 50 years prior to that that a horse had won off a five week layoff.  He had only 3 previous starts, and the last horse to win the Derby off 3 starts was Regret in 1915. Even the 2007 Horse of the Year, Curlin,  couldn’t pull off a similar feat last year. The big thing for me though he was going from post 20 - no horse has won from that spot since Clyde Van Dusen in 1929. No way I thought.

Big Brown, in the 4th start of his young career won this year’s edition of the Kentucky Derby, and remains undefeated.  Big Brown proved me wrong in a big way.

 

The Boundary colt stalked the pace setters, and  made a big move on the far turn, running 4 wide all around the track, and spurted away from the filly Eight Belles and the rest of the field with relative ease.  He came back barely breathing hard and not breaking a sweat.  It was a performance that has people whispering the words “Triple Crown winner.” 

But Big Brown’s win was tempered with sadness.  The only filly in the race, Eight Belles, ran the race of her life and finished 2nd, 2 ¾ lengths in front of Denis of Cork, who rallied from last.  Eight Belles collapsed on the far turn, after crossing the finish line.  She broke both her front ankles after what looked like possibly a bad step.  The brave and talented filly was euthanized on the spot, before her trainer Larry Jones even left the stands.

It was several minutes before I heard that a horse was down.  It’s actually hard to get any accurate information when you’re trackside. Because a few minutes later I was told it was Tale of Ekati, and many of the photographers around me thought it was Tale of Ekati as well. It wasn’t until I got back to the media center that I heard it was the filly.  It explained why Kent Desormeaux was subdued while being lead back to the winner’s circle on Big Brown. There was none of the usual fist pumping and celebration that is customary when one wins the Derby.  It was a while before the crowd realized what happened, and that changed the mood for the day.

This is the sport of horse racing - you have the joy and elation of winning the most famous race in the world against the images of the filly laying prone on the racetrack. It is sad and tragic and is part of the sport.  Of course there were the cries that a filly should never run with the boys.  Nonsense I say.  Todd Pletcher's filly, Rags To Riches, winner of the 2007 Kentucky Oaks ran against the boys 5 weeks later in the Belmont Stakes, the grueling 1 1/2 "test of champions," where she ran a thrilling stretch duel with the eventual 2007 Horse of the Year Curlin, beating him.  And the rest of the world runs the girls against the boys all the time.  The great race mare Ouija Board springs to mind - she regularly faced the boys, and beat them too.  If a filly or mare is talented enough to face the boys, buy all means she should be given the chance.  

Eight Belles walks to the paddock

The PETA people and other anti-racing advocates will have a field day with this one.  PETA demanded that the jockey, Gabriel Saez, should have been arrested for murder, for excessive whipping down the stretch.   I’m sure PETA is aware of it, but Eight Belles was just a horse, not a human being - and the whipping had nothing to do with the breakdown - she wasn’t being whipped after the finish line, when the injury accured, and the jockey had nothing to do with her mishap.  PETA even demands an apology from Hilary Clinton, who bet on Eight Belles, for perpetuating such cruelty as horse racing.  Hell, PETA was have me arrested for owning tow cats as pets, be causing having pets is a cruel act in itself.  And as I mentioned in my post regarding George Washington, horses will always fin a way to get themselves killed, be it in a race, in a workout, in a paddock, running into a tree in their paddock, or being struck by lightning

Others are screaming for polytrack to be installed in all tracks, because it is safer for the horses. There is not enough long term studies done, but initial results have shown there is a slight decrease in catastrophic injuries (requiring euthanasia), but there is an increase in soft tissue injuries, some career ending.  I’ve spoken in length in previous post about synthetic surfaces, some trainers love it and some trainers hate it, such as Bob Baffert and Nick Zito, who both admit their disdain for the surface.  Baffert has moved most of his operations to the east coast, and Zito said God made dirt and grass for horses to run on, not your old tires and carpeting.

In the end, Eight Belles was given the chance of a lifetime, to run tin the biggest he race of her young life, and she ran the race of her life.  And she gave her life running that race.