Big Brown the only show in town on Derby day
As if Epsom did not need another blow to its prestige it now faces a near impossible task in wresting the eyes of the racing world away from a competing, compelling Classic on Derby day, 7 June. At Belmont Park, New York, Big Brown will attempt to become America's 12th Triple Crown winner, and the first since Affirmed and a teenage Steve Cauthen 30 years ago, when he lines up as the raging hot favourite for the Belmont Stakes.
Among British bookmakers Coral offer the most generous odds, but only 2-5, which is hardly surprising after Big Brown put five lengths and more between himself and his pursuers in Saturday's Preakness Stakes at Pimlico. He joins Majestic Prince (1969), Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew (1977) and Smarty Jones (2004) as unbeaten Kentucky Derby winners who also won the Preakness.
Standing in Big Brown's way is the Japanese-trained Casino Drive, an impressive recent winner at Belmont. Rick Dutrow Jr, trainer of Big Brown, is not daunted. "The Japanese people are going to find out Godzilla is not dead," he said after Saturday's procession. The PR people at Epsom, where connections of the Derby favourite, Casual Conquest, have yet to commit to paying a supplementary entry fee, will deserve every penny this year.
"I don't think I'm afraid of anything," Dutrow said. "I don't think that anything worries me as long as this horse comes out of this race good. I know we have horse left. I'm under the impression he's going to be tough to beat in the Belmont."
Big Brown's jockey, Kent Desormeaux, added: "It was just the easiest win ever. I looked between my legs, under my arms, they were eight back. I just stopped riding, reeled him in and just made sure he didn't pull up."
After speculation that John Magnier's Coolmore operation and Sheikh Mohammed's Darley Stud were in the running to secure Big Brown for his next career in the stallion sheds, Three Chimneys Farm in Kentucky has beaten both to the punch. The son of Boundary, out of a Nureyev mare, will take up duties at the end of the year, but may take in the Breeders' Cup Classic on the way, a race for which he has already ousted Curlin as favourite.
Godolphin, meanwhile, in pursuit of a Classic winner of their own this season, look increasingly likely to run Ibn Khaldun in the Derby. Although only 10th of 15 in the 2,000 Guineas his recent work at Newmarket under Frankie Dettori has given his camp grounds for optimism. A reminder of his pedigree - by the miler Dubai Destination out of another top-class miler in Gossamer, dampens enthusiasm and suggests quotes of 16-1 for Epsom are about right.
Godolphin came back to earth at Longchamp yesterday after the elation of their first Group One win in Britain this year, Creachadoir in Saturday's Lockinge Stakes. Literato, last year's Champion Stakes winner, who has failed to sparkle since joining Saeed bin Suroor, was last to the Alain de Royer-Dupre-trained, Ascot-bound pair Sageburg and Darjina in the Prix d'Ispahan.
Sam Thomas, whose high point during the jumps season that has just ended undoubtedly came on Denman in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, will hope that he got the lowest point of the 2008-2009 campaign out of the way at Fakenham yesterday. In the lead going past the stands on 2-5 shot Oumeyade for Paul Nicholls in a handicap chase, Thomas headed on to the hurdles course by mistake.
He immediately realised his error and looked to the skies as he pulled his mount up. The stewards looked to the rule book and issued a 17-day ban - 14 for taking the wrong course and three for careless riding.
Nicholls was understanding: "We all make mistakes so we've just got to take it on the chin and live with it."
Thomas is not the first jockey caught out at the Norfolk track this year. In January, Denis O'Regan rode a finish too soon and picked up a 14-day ban.
(c)independent.co.uk
Dirt and drugs undermine American racing's big day
The best that American racing can offer was there for all to see in the two minutes it took to run the Kentucky Derby on Saturday night, and so too was the worst.
Big Brown produced an immense performance to win from the outside stall, quickening at least twice on the way to a clear-cut success after travelling five-wide, and just behind a fierce duel for the lead. Yet even in this moment of high achievement, and in front of a network TV audience approaching 20 million people, the deep-seated problems in the American industry could not be stifled.
Racing in America struggles for attention at the best of times, and the major networks no longer bother with the sport except for the Triple Crown races: the Derby, the Preakness and the Belmont Stakes. The wait since the last Triple Crown winner in 1978 is already the longest since it was first won in 1919, and only the prospect of another will divert any American sports fans from the NBA playoffs and the baseball.
One of the advantages of the standardised layout of tracks in the States is that even a casual observer can appreciate a good performance when they see one. Even as Big Brown scorched past the post, though, he was about to be replaced as the image of the 134th Kentucky Derby. NBC did their best to cut away as Eight Belles went down a few seconds after crossing the line in second place, but no-one was fooled. Then came the shot of her lying in the dirt, waiting for a vet to end the pain.
Eight Belles' fatal injury was the first in the Derby for many years, but the second in a Triple Crown race in the space of just three, following the long but ultimately hopeless attempt to save Barbaro for stud after he broke a leg in the 2006 Preakness. In terms of impact, her death received more coverage than the performance of the winner, and with synthetic surfaces such as Polytrack now replacing the traditional dirt at a number of US tracks, the inevitable question was whether the loss of Eight Belles might have been avoided.
The answer in this individual case, of course, is that no-one can say for sure. A break of both front ankles is unusual on any surface, and horses can, and do, suffer fatal injuries on Polytrack. Across the horse population as a whole, though, there is little doubt that harsh dirt surfaces, used for both training and racing, contribute to the sport's injury rate.
There are likely to be other factors involved too, not least the need for speed in American racing and breeding. This tends to produce horses with big engines and light frames, which may well be another reason why the average number of starts for an American racehorse has dropped by 44% since 1960 to just 6.3, according to an article in yesterday's Wall Street Times.
The same piece quotes Larry Bramlage, an equine orthopedic surgeon based in Kentucky. "The soundness of the horses has completely gone out the window because we don't reward it anymore," Bramlage says. "Pretty soon we won't have animals that can go in more than one race."
An exaggeration, for sure, but one that sounds a warning for American racing in particular as it attempts to move on from Kentucky. Big Brown was the first horse for nearly 100 years to win the Derby on only his fourth start. Assuming he runs in both the Preakness and the Belmont, he will have six in the book - just shy of that 6.3 average. Even if he stays sound and succeeds where many others have failed over the last 30 years, Big Brown still carries the baggage of American racing's other major problem.
As ESPN.com put it yesterday: "[Richard] Dutrow [Big Brown's trainer] has been fined and suspended dozens of times in his career, sometimes for drugging himself and sometimes for drugging his horses. He says he's gotten his personal life in better shape, but documents from the Association of Racing Commissioners International show that he's gotten in trouble every year this decade when it comes to medicating his horses."
It all promises to be quite a burden for four fragile legs to carry.
(c) Guardian News and Media Limited 2008
Triple Crown tales even better than fiction
From the time I was about 10 into my early teens, I devoured Walter Farley's "The Black Stallion" and its many sequels with a level of devotion much like that displayed in recent years by young (and older) Harry Potter fans.
Farley weaves a tapestry of adventure in the series' first novel sure to captivate a reader: a terrifying storm at sea, a dramatic shipwreck, a struggle to survive on a desert island and the special friendship that grows between young Alec Ramsey and the wild black horse who saved his life.
After Alec and the Black are rescued from the island and arrive in Alec's New York home, the story moves into a world which has always fascinated me: thoroughbred horse racing. The novel ends with a match race described by Farley in such vivid detail that I easily imagined myself in the Black's saddle.
Later on, after I'd absorbed some of the greatest true stories from racing history, I noticed Farley seemed to incorporate elements of that reality into his fiction. The Black running his climactic match race with a bleeding leg must, I think, pay homage to War Admiral, the Triple Crown champion of 1937.
The Admiral, best son of the legendary Man o' War, hurt himself coming out of the starting gate in the Belmont Stakes, cutting away a portion of one hoof. He bled every stride of the mile and a half "Test of the Champion" but still broke the stakes and track record set by his sire 17 years earlier.
Along with his "Black Stallion" series, Farley wrote a novel about Man o' War's amazing racing career. He tells the story through the eyes of a fictional stable hand, but none of Big Red's accomplishments are embellished. The truth is powerful enough.
Man o' War and War Admiral are two of the champions profiled in the "Thoroughbred Legends" series from Eclipse Press, a division of The Blood-Horse Inc. Edward L. Bowen wrote both volumes on sire and son.
In one of my favorite "Legends," Timothy T. Capps recounts "racing's greatest rivalry," the two-year battle for supremacy between Affirmed and Alydar. It came to its climax 30 years ago this spring, the last time a horse won the Triple Crown.
But I don't need Capps' book to relive the races. In 1978, I was a horse-crazy teen with a serious crush on 18-year-old wunderkind jockey Steve Cauthen, and nothing could have moved me from my television during the running of the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont.
Unlike this year when racing analysts can't decide on a dominant 3-year-old colt leading up to Saturday's Derby, in 1978 everyone knew who the two best colts in America were. Their rivalry had begun the previous year when Affirmed, who had more racing experience, defeated Alydar in his racing debut.
The next time the two colts met, Alydar got his revenge. Throughout the rest of '77, they traded victories with Affirmed holding a 4-2 advantage at season's end.
Their first '78 meeting was the Derby. The crowd made Alydar the favorite, but he got off to a slow start while Affirmed had a perfect trip. Affirmed won; Alydar, a length and a half behind, was a fast-closing second.
Two weeks later in the Preakness, the order of finish was the same, but Affirmed's victory margin had shrunk to a neck.
Anticipation was high for the Belmont. Would Affirmed be able to hold on to win the Triple or would Alydar finally catch his rival?
The two horses hooked up earlier than usual, just a half mile into the race. They battled for a full mile in a test of will and stamina rarely seen.
With the finish wire looming, Alydar edged a nose in front. But then Cauthen, "The Kid," with the cool composure of a veteran, switched his whip from right hand to left (Alydar was too close to Affirmed's right side for him to whip right-handed) and gave Affirmed a tap. Affirmed responded and got his nose back in front. He won by a head.
(c) 2008 The Huntsville Times. All rights reserved
Affirmed Career
Affirmed was both the focal point and cement that would bind my husband's and my wonderful 35-year relationship. From the outset of our marriage in Miami in 1972, we dearly enjoyed driving up to spend time at Harbor View Farm near Ocala. It was there, in 1975, that we first noticed a flashy little chestnut colt that loved to show his heels to his contemporaries.
We watched, as time went by, how the colt became the leader of the pack, rough-housing with his playmates, yet coming over to the fence were we stood to gently nuzzle his admiring owners. Despite our own personal, individual good fortune previously, nothing could have prepared us for the Affirmed years!
Harbor View Farm exploded on the racing scene not long after my late husband, Lou, first entered racing by buying a handful of modest horses in 1958. Raise a Native, purchased at the 1962 Saratoga yearling sale for $39,000, went undefeated in 1963 and was named 2-year-old co-champion male despite an injury that curtailed his career after four scintilating starts and triumphs. Three years earlier, I had raced my own champion, Hail to Reason, voted 2-year-old king in 1960. To me, "Hail" was the best 2-year-old ever, but my dad told me in no uncertain terms that Raise a Native was superior, and "the best 2-year-old I have ever seen." How ironic that years later Lou would become my husband, and the prolific Raise a Native would sire Exclusive Native, and be grandsire of Affirmed.
As Laz Barrera prepared Affirmed for his first start in a maiden special weight at Belmont May 24, 1977, he thought the rather slight, willowy, somewhat skinny colt most likely would be a quick and agile sprinter. The effortless 4 1/2-length victory excited us and gave the usually conservative Hall of Fame trainer a new perspective. Laz was so impressed that he ran Affirmed back in the Youthful Stakes just three weeks later. This time Affirmed demonstrated the attributes that would go on to define his future greatness: grit and determination. He battled to a hard-earned neck decision over his more seasoned foes, and also left Calumet Farm's heralded newcomer Alydar in his wake. Seven subsequent starts brought his championship 2-year-old season to a close with a record of seven wins and two seconds, as well as a 4-2 record against Alydar, whose own future greatness would not be diminished by playing second fiddle to Affirmed, but rather serve to enhance our pride and joy.
Racing fans throughout the country eagerly awaited the continuation of the Affirmed/Alydar rivalry. (Watch video of the Affirmed/Alydar rivalry here.) The newly turned 3-year-olds' paths diverged, as Laz took Affirmed to California while John Veitch wintered Alydar in Florida. Both colts totally dominated the opposition before they met again in the Kentucky Derby. Affirmed had filled out considerably, and we rationalized that the days missed in training due to an unusually wet winter in California may well have been a blessing in disguise. He had grown. He carried good flesh and reminded me of a young boy approaching adulthood. Then, we saw Alydar, even more robust and inpressive than the 2-year-old version that exuded power, already a mature man.
The Derby turned out to be the easiest time Affirmed would have against Alydar throughout their 10-race rivalry, save the Calumet star's early loss in the Youthful. Both colts seemed to approach leg two, the Preakness, in splendid form; and only a neck separated them at the wire. The Belmont, three weeks hence, was a different story. John Veitch raved about Alydar's resplendent condition. In an effort to reverse what must have been becoming a monotonous result, he made an equipment change, removing Alydar's blinkers. Laz pretty much maintained the status quo and did not do much, since the rigors of the Derby and Preakness seemed to be taking their toll on Affirmed. The colt looked noticeably lighter to me, and I must have driven both trainer and husband crazy with my constant inquiries and obvious concern. Laz assured me Affirmed would be strong enough for the grueling final jewel. Lou was quoted as saying, "Affirmed, Affirmed, Affirmed…that's all she's ever talking about. I'll be so glad when this Triple Crown is over."
The running of "The Race of the Century" remains surreal in my mind. Yet, I am able to recall virtually every detail: from Affirmed's cool, calm demeanor in the paddock, to Laz imparting last-minute words of wisdom and encouragement to his jock, to Lou's being typically calm (outwardly anyway, though I know his heart had to be racing like mine), even to Stevie's undoing Affirmed's braided mane on the way to the post, and then to the heart-stopping final seven furlongs when the four warriors hooked up --Velasquez and Alydar, Cauthen and Affirmed-- inseparable until that last-second thrust when Stevie switched his whip and hit Affirmed left-handed for the first time ever, and our pride and joy surged to the wire: the winner of the Triple Crown!
Where has the time gone?
I have great difficulty believing 30 years have passed by so swiftly. Just before the turn of this new century, my husband was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. So many of the things we did and held in common were now mine alone. I especially remember the wonderful occasion in 2004, when Flawlessly, Affirmed's two-time Eclipse Award-winning daughter, was inducted into the Racing Hall of Fame at the National Museum of Racing in Saratoga Springs. How I wished Lou, who was ailing, could have been there by my side as he had all those years of our marriage. There was, however, some solace the day following the memorable dedication ceremonies, as Lou and I were privileged to have the privacy of our own little tour of the Affirmed exhibit. While there, he sat, mesmerized, and watched a replay of the dramatic, pulsating Belmont finish.
Lou's responsiveness suffered as a consequence of surgeries in 2005 and advancing Alzheimer's, but highlighted moments from the past would continue to trigger and be a catalyst for reactions post surgery and during the last few years of his life. Though virtually incapacitated, he remained very peaceful and content. Instead of those waning months being an ordeal, they were truly a blessing, as I could be there with my best friend, who slept peacefully and comfortably nearby. He continued to enjoy sweet treats and affectionately returned my proffered daily kisses. He also became alert when our dog, Susie Q., sidled alongside; or upon hearing recognizable music, like "New York, New York," "My Old Kentucky Home," and Sinatra standards; watching sports on television; and, most noticeably, viewing tapes of Affirmed' races. I will always cherish two extraordinary moments that occurred late into the disease: on seeing Laz Barrera on the television screen, he exclaimed: "I know him!"; and the priceless gem when his first great-grandchild, Alexa, was an infant and visited us in Old Westbury. Lou's smile lit up the room, and he reached out while chirping to get her attention, much as I found myself doing to get his.
I have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of personal contacts and fan support so many years later. Helping to keep the flame burning, in no small part, have been the wonderful Affirmed exhibits at the Museum of Racing, and now at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington.
In reflecting on the Horse Park exhibit, Lou's son, Steve Wolfson, said: "(My father) would be very appreciative of all the glory that has been rekindled. (The Kentucky Horse Park staff) has brought it all back to life. When Patrice comes here, she'll be very emotional. More than anything, the Triple Crown and winning the Belmont marked the resurrection of my father, who had had some difficulties in his business. He, Patrice, and the whole family rose again. Affirmed was the catalyst to the return of my father, and that's what has meant the most to me."
Reflecting on those glorious times, I could not help thinking how much the sport has changed. In those not-so-long-ago days, top horses danced every dance. Over the 29-month period after his initial race, Affirmed averaged one start per month, ran all distances from 5 1/2 furlongs to 11/2 miles, carried and conceded weight (as much as 132, 130, and 128 pounds). As I pored over so many winner's circle pictures and other memorabilia, I was amazed at Affirmed's own physical transition from a slightly built, thin 2-year-old to a blossoming 3-year-old during the Triple Crown series, to a magnificent, strong specimen on the day of his final start, a victory in the 1979 Jockey Club Gold Cup, cementing his (second) Horse-of-the-Year Eclipse Award.
Through it all, Affirmed never lost that sweet gentleness first observed when Lou and I sat on that fence watching the foals romp through the pasture at Harbor View Farm. One of my favorite pictures shows Affirmed willingly putting his head under my arm so I could give a little hug and bid him a safe journey to his stallion career in Kentucky.
As I relived all those wonderful times, the years melted away. I am contemplating a new project to memorialize and share those cherished moments with the many who relished and enjoyed the Affirmed years, perhaps by assembling the treasured collection into some format like a coffee table book, or even a video documentary.
bloodhorse.com
Spring fever
It happens every spring, but not once a spring; it happens daily, or thereabouts, throughout the season.
Luck is in the air. People fall hard for winners of the Derby prep races. Didn't Tale of Ekati close stylishly in the Wood (even though War Pass was in the soup); Wasn't Big Brown a rush of fresh air in Florida (even though those daring to run on the lead at Churchill will have roadrunners for company); and wasn't Colonel John a ray of sunshine from that state out West that used to sent a contender to Kentucky now and again, California racing, that's the blast from the past (even though John ran over what might appear to some to be a combination of corn flakes and fan belts).
It's as though all those other Kentucky Derbies where you played the early speed or deep closers, then had to pay for a fast food dinner with pocket change, never happened. It's as though this time the rocket speed will carry; or this time, a swooping horse will be able to move from 17th to first.
Playing a favorite in a 20-horse field is the wagering equivalent of telling the guy with the ball at the roulette wheel to let your big winnings ride.
When 20 thoroughbreds run, it's less like handicapping the horses and more like plotting a road rally: at a particular point, box those four and you might win.
Here's another seasonal occurrence gone overboard, TV ratings -- TV sports ratings, overall, horse racing ratings, on the nose.
TV sports ratings are flawed. Here's why. When it comes to ratings, all TV shows are considered together -- sit-coms, drama, slop (biased cable news), junk (reality shows that don't feature talent), nonsense (CSI: Miami), garbage (new game shows), and sports.
People don't go to a studio to see sit-coms being over-acted. But people do go, in large number, to sporting events. Millions of fans go to games, matches, and races, and not a single one of them gets a TV rating credit. Moreover, when you support your favorite sport, it is punished in the public eye because you're not watching at home.
If TV sports ratings are down, there's a good reason for that: We're at the event!
Commercial TVs aren't rated -- television sets in sports bars and simulcast venues, and even gigantic arenas, where untold thousands watch without their favored sport being credited; computers aren't rated, either.
Nothing gets the short end of the rating book like horse racing. This isn't the Westminster poodle group we're watching. We're watching our money run around the track. Pari-mutuel gambling is the essence of horse racing. Only a small percentage of horse race enthusiasts sit at home, twiddling their thumbs, enjoying the fancy hats and the attractiveness of the jockey's spouses. People who don't have a Derby bet rate TV shows. The rest of us are at the track, unrated. Most tracks are packed Triple Crown days, most simulcast and off-track joints are down to standing room.
What percentage of people who love horse racing have joined the action at one track or another on the big rating days? Eighty percent? Ninety?
And anymore, even when you're dealing with shows you can't watch in person, fiction material, I seldom watch with pleasure. Most TV is so bad, I watch to loathe. Yes, I know, this isn't healthy. But watching David Caruso pump his shades in Miami and utter dialogue like, "We'll see who has the last gaff," well, it beats bathing the English springer spaniels. Now that "CSI: Miami" has run out of ideas, somebody will put the character Horatio Caine in a chest and feed him to the bonefish, and I'll be there when it happens.
Concerning the Derby, let's all breathe deeply and meet back here in a week or so.
Concerning advertising targets on TV, though unrated by the impractical services, we're watching the horse races in great numbers from all around the town and, being gamblers, plan to have money to buy all sorts of products.
Copyright (c)2008 ESPN Internet Ventures.
Ky. Derby Trail: Hot Brown on Derby Menu
By now, just about every superlative has been used to describe Big Brown's performance in the Florida Derby (gr. I). How many times do you think the word "freak" has been uttered since Saturday? Well, there is no doubt that the colt has accomplished freakish things in his brief career, but so did Curlin, and he couldn't win the Derby off three career starts.
Curlin showed last year that the Run for the Roses is a whole different experience, especially for horses that inexperienced. Despite a 10-length romp in the Arkansas Derby (gr. II) and a subsequent record-equaling victory in the Preakness, Curlin was unable to overcome the traffic and adversity of the Kentucky Derby.
That is not to say Big Brown will be unable to, but with only three career starts and quarter crack issues, it might be premature to hand him the roses just yet. With that said, Big Brown, who has had an unorthodox career to say the least, has indeed looked like a freak, even more so than Curlin in some ways, considering his lack of works and having his career interrupted twice. The buzz that has surrounded him since his spectacular allowance victory March 5 is now sounding more like a high-powered engine. Between the excitement he has generated and having a colorful character like Rick Dutrow training him, at least the Derby won't be dull this year.
Big Brown did things in the Florida Derby that stamp him as special - overcoming the 12-post; having to be used early, and getting bumped in the rear; setting torrid fractions of :22 3/5 and :45 4/5, while tossing his ears around, and still keep going; and winning under a hand ride, missing Brass Hat's track record by .37 one-hundredths of a second. And he did all that with only one easy off-the-turf allowance score in six months and five works all year. In the allowance race, he ran the mile in 1:35 3/5 coming off only three works following his second quarter crack. Horses just aren't supposed to do what he's done.
The only odd thing was jockey Kent Desormeaux pulling on the left rein a total of seven times after the colt appeared to drift out slightly. Even as he drifted back toward the rail, Desormeaux kept pulling on the left rein. At one point, Desormeaux's butt went flying off the left side of the horse's body before popping back over the saddle. When it did, Big Brown became a bit unbalanced and dipped his head and shoulder for one stride. It didn't affect the stretch run; it just made for an awkward moment. After hitting him one time, Desormeaux hand rode him the rest of the way, with the two perfectly back in sync. All in all, it was an excellent ride by Desormeaux, breaking sharply and getting the colt to the lead without losing too much ground, and then letting him settle in stride down the backstretch.
So, where did racing's newest phenom come from? Big Brown's original sole owner, Paul Pompa Jr.,only bought the horse because he had his half-brother Snake River Canyon. Although Snake River Canyon, a son of Gulch, ran only one time for Pompa, he made a huge impression on trainer Patrick Reynolds, who told Pompa that the gelding was going to be his next Peeping Tom, the hard-knocking gelding who had won six stakes for Pompa and Reynolds, including the grade I Carter Handicap, while finishing second in the grade I Met Mile and Cigar Mile.
Reynolds claimed Snake River Canyon from Frank Brothers after his career debut for $62,500. In his first start for Pompa, a $75,000 claiming race, he fought off four horses to win by a neck, but was claimed back by Brothers. According to Reynolds, the horse became deathly ill after that and never won another race. Reynolds always thought of him as a promising horse who never was able to realize his potential.
Last April at the Keeneland April 2-year-old sale, Pompa noticed a half-brother to Snake River Canyon, by Boundary, in the catalog. Snake River Canyon was a smallish horse with not much constitution, so when Pompa asked Reynolds what he thought, he told him: "If the Boundary colt has got some size you should think about getting him." Using the Hidden Brook team of Jack Brothers, Mark Roberts, Dan Hall, and Sergio de Sousa (trainer Danny Vella is another partner), Pompa had them check out the colt to see what they thought.
"He was a tall, leggy colt who had a very smooth stride and did it without a lot of effort," de Sousa said. "He worked a quarter in about :21 2/5. We give Paul a range what we think a horse should be and whether we like it or don't like it. He had sold as a yearling for $60,000 and we wound up getting him for $190,000, which was pretty close to the end of the range for a Boundary horse. Paul asked me about his pedigree and I told him it wasn't that active, but he just might be a horse that makes his own pedigree."
"We buy as a team, and collectively look at the horses," Brothers said. "We come up with a short list together and keep narrowing it down. Big Brown was the only horse we bought at the sale. What we liked about him was that he was just getting in gear when he hit the wire and galloped out strong. And we were very impressed with way he moved in the ring. Paul is very game. When he steps up to the plate he's looking to swing away."
So, Pompa swung away and hit one to the next county; and the ball still hasn't come down. When Reynolds took over the training of Big Brown, the colt was very easy going and a "pleasure to work with." It wasn't until he started working with other horses that the competitive juices started flowing.
"As soon as he began working in company we could see he was definitely an alpha male-type," Reynolds said. "He didn't want the other horses near him. He would just sprint away from them in workouts - 2-year-olds, older horses, anything. He'd always want to get the better of whatever stablemate he was working with.
"At Saratoga, you have to break from the gate in company in order to get your gate card. I sent him over there with an older horse - a tough, hard-knocking $100,000 claimer. I told the two riders, 'You just need to break so I can get a gate card for this horse. He's ready to go.' Well, they broke and Big Brown never let the other horse get in the workout. He just ran off from him. Five days later when his race came up I knew enough that I had to bet a few shekels on him. He had already worked liked a champ on the Oklahoma turf course, which is why we started him on the grass first time out."
Big Brown destroyed his opposition, winning by 11 1/4 lengths, going 1 1/16 miles in 1:40 1/5. Grass or no grass, that sent prospective buyers rushing to the phone. One prominent trainer who watched the race live quickly offered $1 million, but wasn't even in the ballpark.
Following the race, Reynolds had turned to Pompa and said, "I know the pedigree is a little weak, but this horse just ran a two-million-dollar race. Don't sell him short."
At about the same time as the first offer, another offer came from a powerhouse operation for around $2 million. But after having X-rays taken, their veterinarian had an issue with the colt’s ankle, and although it was minor and would only cost him a few weeks, he recommended they pass.
"That's OK, I'll sell him for more money," Pompa told Reynolds. "I'll get a better deal." That better deal came from IEAH Stables, who not only offered around $3.5 million, they allowed Pompa to retain 25% of the colt.
"It was a pretty savvy move on Paul's part," Reynolds said. "I applaud him for that. When they offer money like that for a horse that had only run once, on the turf, it was a no-brainer. He was able to take that money and put it back into the game, so we'll keep going."
There are unconfirmed reports that the night of the Florida Derby, the people who turned down the colt because of the X-rays made an offer for - are you sitting down? - $30 million. Once again, that is unconfirmed, but it came from several reliable sources, so make of it what you may.
So, that's pretty much where we stand with racing's new potential superstar. As one trainer put it, "Curlin's spotlight didn't last very long," referring to the champ's Dubai World Cup (UAE-I) victory four hours earlier.
Although Big Brown is by Boundary, a sprinter who has sired only sprinters and milers, it must be noted that Boundary is by Danzig, and his dam, Edge, is by Damascus out of the top-class stakes winner Ponte Vecchio, a daughter of Round Table. Big Brown's dam, Mien, is by Nureyev (by Northern Dancer), out of a Lear Fan (by Roberto) mare. And Big Brown is inbred top and bottom to Damascus, Round Table, and Northern Dancer, giving him a Classic-heavy dosage profile of 4-7-23-2-0 and a 1.67 dosage index, for all those who still follow dosage.
If Big Brown does win the Derby, he'll accomplish something that hasn't been done in 93 years, which is win the Run for the Roses off only three career starts. The truth is, after seeing the Florida Derby, we have no idea what this horse is capable of doing. Some think he's a lock in the Derby, others are taking a more cautious approach, and there are those who still are not willing to hop on his bandwagon just yet. That is the nature of the Derby. What he has going for him is his ability to beat you on the front end or sitting off the pace.
Copyright (c) 2008 The Blood-Horse, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
NTRA Thoroughbred Facts & Figures
Curlin, the 2007 Horse of the Year, begins the defense of his title this Saturday, when he takes on 12 top international opponents in the $6 million Dubai World Cup, the world's richest horse race.
The mile and a quarter World Cup is the feature race among six lucrative stakes events that comprise the 13th annual Dubai World Cup program from Nad Al Sheba Race Course in the United Arab Emirates. Total purses for the six stakes are $21 million.
Winner of last year's Preakness Stakes, Curlin came back from his narrow loss to the filly Rags to Riches in the Belmont Stakes to win the Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park and Breeders' Cup Classic at soggy Monmouth Park en route to claiming the champion's crown.
"He's done everything right since he's been here," Curlin's assistant trainer Scott Blasi said. "He's been training well."
Other American-based horses in the World Cup field are A.P. Arrow, Great Hunter and Well Armed. The undercard races feature several more top American runners including Barbecue Eddie (in the Dubai Golden Shaheen), Barcola (Godolphin Mile), Benny the Bull (Golden Shaheen), Better Talk Now (Dubai Sheema Classic), Bushwacker (Dubai Golden Shaheen), Diamond Stripes (Godolphin Mile), Esperamos (Dubai Golden Shaheen), Idiot Proof (Dubai Golden Shaheen), Massive Drama (UAE Derby), Notional (Godolphin Mile), and Spring House (Dubai Sheema Classic).
The complete, wire-to-wire running of the Dubai World Cup can be seen via same-day tape on "NTRA Racing to the Kentucky Derby" from 5-6 p.m. on ESPN2. The telecast originates from Gulstream Park and is highlighted by the 58th Florida Derby.
Shadwell, HILL 'N' DALE TO Sponsor KEY NYRA STAKES
The New York Racing Association (NYRA) has announced that Shadwell Farm will become the presenting sponsor for Saratoga's Travers Stakes and Belmont Park's Suburban Handicap through 2009.
"Shadwell Farm is proud to announce its partnership with the New York Racing Association by sponsoring both the Grade I Suburban Handicap and the Grade I Travers Stakes,' said Rick Nichols, Shadwell Farm Vice President and General Manager. "Shadwell has been supportive of New York racing and anxiously looks forward to our involvement both at Belmont Park and Saratoga Race Course as a wonderful honor and an exciting new experience."
Meanwhile, the final Grade I race on the NYRA stakes calendar will continue to be known as the Hill 'n' Dale Cigar Mile Handicap for another three years as NYRA and Hill 'n' Dale Farms have extended their partnership through 2010.
"We're very enthusiastic about sponsorship of the Hill 'n' Dale Cigar Mile," said John G. Sikura, President of Hill 'n' Dale Farms. "The one-mile distance is so significant to breeders and the race is perfectly positioned on the racing calendar to attract Breeders' Cup runners in search of Eclipse honors."
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the International Herald Tribune All rights reserved
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