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It’s Do or Retire for Big Brown in Haskell Invitational
By GREG MELIKOV
Not long ago the expected field for the Haskell Invitational was six or seven. Not it appears there could be as many as eight or nine 3-year-olds going in Monmouth Park’s premier race on Sunday.
For some reason, Big Brown doesn’t scare away the opposition. In fact, the fewest challengers that took on the son of Boundary were in the Belmont Stakes on June 9 when he finished ninth and last losing for the first time in six starts.
The way Big Brown has been training ought to scare way some opposition because the signs point to an excellent outing. On July 26, he breezed six furlongs in a nifty 1:10 4/5 at Aqueduct.
And apparently, all is copasetic between trainer Rick Dutrow and jockey Kent Desormeaux as the latter gets the mount again.
Dutrow, silent for most of July, said Tuesday during a NTRA teleconference:
“Everything the rest of the year will depend on what happens at Monmouth. I’m still kind of concerned about what’s going to happen Sunday because I know the horse went into the Belmont in very good condition, and what happened in that race I have no idea.
“If it happens again, then I’m going to know something is wrong with him and he’s just not going to run anymore. . .”
Paul Grimm, editor of the online Oceanport Racing Report (http://oceanportracingreport.com), said the “biggest ‘X’ factor in this race is which Big Brown shows up: the one who won the Florida Derby and Kentucky Derby or the one pulling up in the Belmont Stakes? If the real Big Brown shows, I think everyone else is running for second.”
Several key challengers that recently worked hope to do better:
Cool Coal Man, who won the Spend a Buck at Monmouth, posted a bullet 47 3/5 for four furlongs over the muddy Saratoga training track last Sunday.
Atoned, runner-up to Truth Rules in Monmouth’s Long Branch, donned blinkers for the first time and breezed four furlongs in 50 seconds over the host track on July 26, galloping out five furlongs in 1:01 3/5. Trainer Todd Pletcher guns for his third straight Haskell as Blue Grass Cat scored in ‘06 and Any Given Saturday won last year.
Truth Rules, 3 for 3 at Monmouth, breezed four furlongs in 49 seconds on Saratoga’s training track July 26.
Nistle’s Crunch, second in the Colonial Turf Cup, breezed five furlongs in 1:00 3/5 on July 26. The colt attempts to become the first New Jersey-bred to triumph since Thanks to Tony in ‘80.
Big Truck, winner of the Tampa Bay Derby, breezed five furlongs in 1:00 4/5 at Saratoga on Monday.
Other 3-year-olds that could go in the 1 1/8 mile contest are Harlem Rocker, another Pletcher trainee that’s 4 for 4 on dirt; Magical Forest, victorious in Delaware’s Barbaro; and Alaazo, 2 for 4, scratched out of Saratoga’s Jim Dandy taken by Macho Again.
There most assuredly will be another huge crowd on Haskell Day. More than 40,000 are expected for the 10th consecutive year for the $1 million event.
Top attendance was 53,638 in ‘03 when Peace Rules scored. The all-time New Jersey wagering mark came on last year’s Haskell 14-race card: $14,122,636. The betting record on the Haskell also was established in ‘07 — $3,734,404.
Under bonus conditions for connections of a starter that captured two Triple Crown races, Big Brown’s owners get $50,000 and trainer Rick Dutrow banks another $50,000 just for the Kentucky Derby-Preakness winner showing up.
“It will make it our biggest day of the year,” Monmouth general manager Bob Kulina said weeks ago. “We have been fortunate to get some pretty good horses.”
“He’s a tremendous horse with a ton of talent,” said Dennis Dowd, senior vice president for the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority. “Last year we got to see Curlin (third in the Haskell) and he went on to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic.”
Yep, it is perform or head to the stud shed for Big Brown.
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