BIG BROWN

I have been a loyal watcher and have taped the Triple Crown races religiously for the past thirty years so that I had the very first tape of the new Triple Crown Winner. Well so much for that---I haven't taped anything on Big Brown. For the Kentucky Derby I was sure his owner/trainer was just a braggart and he wouldn't even come close running from the outside where he started number 20.

Wrong---he smoked the field---what a spectacular run for the roses. After it was over the owner said it isn't bragging if you can do it. Guess that is true. He won by more than four lengths in a tough race where the second place horse broke both of her legs during the runout on the top turn---she was put down. The next closest horse was a couple of lengths behind her.

On his way back to the winners circle he bucked the jockey off at the top of the turn. I don't believe I have ever seen a horse buck after he ran a hard race and for sure haven't seen one buck like that. The jockey was embarrassed because Big Brown was snubbed to a saddle horse and still bucked him off. Wanna talk about a horse with lots of heart---he's got it.

In the Preakness I knew he was a pretty good horse but running from mid pack (number 7) and the other jockeys talking about boxing him on the rail I was pretty sure he'd have a tough run. Yup you got it they boxed him on the rail right off the git go. The jockey took him through a small opening on the rail to the outside where he galloped along nicely gaining all the time until he was running three wide in third place. Not a good thing because every horse wide is two lengths minimum on each turn. He hung in there most of the way around the bottom turn and was just starting to go when the jockey hit him once with the whip. He hand rode the rest of the race and never used the whip again.

I don't believe I have ever seen a horse make that kind of dash for the wire---with every jump he was gaining about 1/4 length and it was amazing to watch the distance grow. The jockey looked over his right shoulder to see if he could see the other horses, then he looked over his left shoulder. He was far enough out front that he couldn't see them back there so he stood up in the stirrups and looked between his legs to see where they were. They published that shot in the paper---it is the single best racing picture I have ever seen.

During the interview after the race the jockey said he had a perfect trip and that Big Brown was not even hit by a single dirt clod. That in itself is an amazing feat in racing---that is why jockeys wear goggles.

OK so the Belmont is June 7, and I will be in parenting classes that day to meet the requirements of DCFS so I won't even get to witness the next triple crown winner. YUP---I'm picking Big Brown---right now he has won five in a row and every race he has ever ran---I don't think there is any horse in this years crop that can even start him. He's an athlete and has every appearance of being an undefeated champion. If he wins the race on June 7 he will never run again and will retire somewhere to a stud farm for the rest of his days. I can't remember how much his value has gone up the past few weeks but I'll bet the owner is way happy to have a nice little horse called BIG BROWN. WISH HE WAS MINE!!!!!!!!!!!!!