Big Brown’s Schedule Uncertain After 2008 Haskell Invitational
Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Big Brown‘s schedule for the rest of the season remained uncertain following his victory in the Haskell Invitational August 3 at Momnouth Park.
Big Brown left Monmouth Park at approximately 10:15 a.m. EDT Monday morning, less than 24 hours after catching Coal Play along the final stretch to win the 2008 Haskell Invitational.
The son of Boundary, Big Brown, was far from impressive in Sunday’s 1 1/8-mile race, prompting trainer Richard Dutrow Jr. to question the colt’s schedule for the rest of the summer.
It appears doubtful that Big Brown will enter the Travers Stakes on August 23 at Saratoga, although he still is pointed toward the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic on October 25 at Santa Anita Park.
“We’ll take a closer look at him later this afternoon and then worry about down the line,” race horse trainer Richard Dutrow Jr. said Monday. “Once we see how he came out of (the Haskell), we’ll start to look ahead.”
The Haskell was Big Brown’s first race since the Belmont Stakes, where he failed miserably in his bid to become horse racing’s first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed in 1978. The prohibitive favorite in the grueling 1 1/2-mile Belmont Stakes, Big Brown lost for the first time in 6 career starts when he was eased up en route to a last-place finish.
It was a puzzling performance by the 3-year-old race horse Big Brown, who was overpowering in winning both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness. Big Brown did run the Belmont Stakes with a slight quarter crack to his left front hoof, but there were no signs that the injury played a role in his embarrassing showing.
Race horse trainer Richard Dutrow Jr. dismissed the notion that the hoof injury affected Big Brown on Sunday, saying that his horse “looks great.”
It nearly looked like Coal Play, a 20-to-1 longshot, would spoil what was supposed to be a jog to the winner’s circle for Big Brown. Coal Play got off to the early lead and almost stayed there throughout. As the field turned for home, Coal Play looked to be distancing himself from Big Brown.
With Hall of Fame jockey Kent Desormeaux aboard, Big Brown took to the middle of track and finally caught Coal Play just before the wire.
“Our operation was thrilled about Monmouth Park and the crowd yesterday,” Dutrow said. “Hearing everyone give a big cheer for Big Brown was great. We couldn’t be happier.”
Tags: Big Brown
"Big Brown’s Schedule Uncertain After 2008 Haskell Invitational" was posted on 4 August 2008 9:17 PM under Horse Racing News, Horses, Stakes Races
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