Archive for the 'Belmont Stakes' Category
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By GREG MELIKOV
Santa Anita’s main track has encountered a bumpy road since a synthetic surface replaced dirt last summer. It has become an up-and-down soap opera for a year.
High Hopes: Cushion Track that cost $11 million was installed at Santa Anita before the Oak Tree meeting began 13 months ago in September. The change met the California Horse Racing Board mandate requiring most major tracks to install synthetic surfaces by the end of ‘07 to reduce fatalities among horses. So far it has.
How Sweet It Is: Oak Tree lassoed the 25th Breeders’ Cup World Championships on Aug. 22, 2007 — the first time some races will be staged on a surface other than dirt. Since the richest event in United States racing debuted at Hollywood Park, it’s only fitting a Southern California track will serve as host for the seventh time — Oak Tree’s fourth.
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Photos from The Blood-Horse Magazine showing Big Brown’s loose right hind hoof gave horse owner Michael Iavarone evidence of why Big Brown raced poorly in the Belmont Stakes last June 7 at Belmont Park.
Big Brown was the favorite to win the 1 1/2 mile Belmont Stakes but ended up finishing dead last with jockey Kent Desormeaux easing the 3-year-old race horse Big Brown down the stretch. Big Brown was given a clean bill of health during a post-race veterinary examination.
“When the shoe spread, a nail could have been pinching him,” co-president of IEAH Stables Michael Iavarone said. “Or he could have been stepping on a hot nail, which would have been worse. I’m guessing the nail went back in but not in the same spot. Or it could have been a loose shoe, which would be like trying to run with a wobbly cleat.”
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Big Brown’s trainer, Richard Dutrow, Jr., believes that jockey Kent Desormeaux’s ride in the 2008 Belmont Stakes last Saturday, June 7, at Belmont Park cost Big Brown the Triple Crown.
Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Big Brown was eased in the final quarter-mile of the Belmont Stakes by jockey Kent Desormeaux and failed to finish the race.
If Big Brown is healthy, the plan is for him to run next in the Travers Stakes on August 23 at Saratoga. where horse racing fans might see a rematch between 2008 Belmont Stakes winner Da’ Tara and Big Brown.
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Big Brown trainer Richard Dutrow Jr. says he feels “like a loser” after Big Brown’s last-place finish in the Belmont Stakes, and he was still searching for answers Monday about what went wrong.
Big Brown became the first horse seeking the Triple Crown to finish last in 140 years of running the 1 1/2 -mile Belmont Stakes.
“I feel like a loser right now and I don’t know why,” horse trainer Richard Dutrow, Jr. told the Daily Racing Form on Monday. “Usually when I get beat I can handle it the right way, and I’ve handled this the right way, but I just feel like something’s not right.”
Dutrow said that unless Big Brown shows signs of a physical problem, the colt will be pointed to the Travers Stakes on August 23 at Saratoga and then the Breeders’ Cup Classic in October at Santa Anita Park.
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One day after being eased up in the stretch and failing miserably in his bid to win the Triple Crown, Big Brown appears to be fine physically, according to co-owner Michael Iavarone.
Big Brown was attempting to become the first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed in 1978 before those hopes were dashed with a last-place finish in the grueling 1 1/2-mile Belmont Stakes Saturday, June 7, at Belmont Park.
After the race, questions immediately arose if the previously unbeaten horse was injured. The bay colt raced despite a slight quarter crack to his left front hoof…
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Robert V. LaPenta’s longshot Da’ Tara, ridden by jockey Alan Garcia, wins the $1-million Belmont Stakes Saturday, June 7, at Belmont Park denying Big Brown the Triple Crown.
Trained by Nick Zito, Da’ Tara went wire to wire to beat 8 other Belmont Stakes contenders over 1 1/2 miles, the longest and toughest of the three classics. The 2008 Belmont Stakes finish time was 2:29.65. Da’ Tara paid $79, $28 and $14.80.
Denis of Cork with jockey Robby Albarado up returned $5.40 and $4.10. Anak Nakal, under jockey Julien Leparoux, and Ready’s Echo, under jockey John Velazquez, dead-heated for third and showed $7.60 and $6.20 respectively.
See the Belmont Stakes Results & Payouts.
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ELMONT, NEW YORK (TICKER)–Casino Drive has been scratched from Saturday’s Belmont Stakes due to a bruised left hind hoof, according to the Schenectady Gazette.
Considered the main threat to foil Big Brown’s bid at winning the Triple Crown in the final leg, Casino Drive seemed to be healthy during Saturday morning’s workout. But according to the report, the horse appeared to be favoring the hoof after returning to the stables.
“This morning we check and he is OK,” Nobutaka Tada, racing manager for Japanese owner Hidetoshi Yamamoto, told the Gazette. “We send him to the main track and he had cantering, and he came back to the yard OK, no problem. Then, (again) he just (started) carrying his hind (leg). We checked again and it became warm.”
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The connections of Casino Drive, the second choice behind Triple Crown hopeful Big Brown in Saturday’s 140th running of the Belmont Stakes (post time 6:25 pm), said Friday they expect the horse to run as he appears to be recovering from a possible stone bruise in his left hind hoof.
“Right now we are in,” said Nobutaka Tada, spokesperson for owner Hidetoshi Yamamoto and trainer Kazuo Fujisawa. “I expect him to run. If he stays like this, he’s OK. I expect him to run.”
Shortly after noon on Friday, hoof specialist Ian McKinlay successfully applied an acrylic and fiberglass patch to a quarter crack on the left-fore hoof of Triple Crown hopeful Big Brown
“The patch is on and everything looked perfect,” said McKinlay. “There were no problems whatsoever.”
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Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Big Brown drew the 1st post position in the $1-million Belmont Stakes on Saturday, June 7, at Belmont Park. Post 1 produced the most Belmont Stakes winners (23) since 1905.
All carrying 126 pounds, the Belmont Stakes entries with jockeys and morning line odds are as follows:
- Big Brown ridden by jockey Kent Desormeaux with morning line odds of 2-5
- Guadalcanal ridden by jockey Javier Castellano, 50-1
- Macho Again ridden by jockey Garrett Gomez, 20-1
- Denis of Cork ridden by jockey Robby Albarado, 12-1
- Casino Drive ridden by jockey Edgar Prado, 7-2
- Da’ Tara ridden by jockey Alan Garcia, 30-1
- Tale of Ekati ridden by jockey Eibar Coa, 20-1
- Anak Nakal ridden by jockey Julien Leparoux, 30-1
- Ready’s Echo ridden by jockey John Velazquez, 30-1
- Icabad Crane ridden by jockey Jeremy Rose, 20-1
The 2008 Belmont Stakes is the 11th horse race in Belmont Park’s 13-race progam on June 7. Belmont Stakes post time is 6:25 p.m. EDT.
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By GREG MELIKOV
Big Brown drew the inside post in the 140th Belmont Stakes and was established as the morning line 2-5 favorite on Wednesday.
The colt could go off at even lower odds on Saturday after his bullet breeze of a minute for five furlongs 24 hours earlier on Belmont Park’s main track. Rick Dutrow Jr. pronounced the son of Boundary fit and ready to become the 12th Triple Crown winner.
Six of the past 10 horses since 1979 that had a shot at immortality also were odds-on favorites, but finished second three times, third twice and fourth.
The closest to pulling it off was Real Quiet in ‘98 who fell a nose short. Ironically, Kent Desormeaux was aboard the runner-up that day — Big Brown’s rider.
While Dutrow told BloodHorse.com before the draw he preferred an outside post, he didn’t appear disturbed that his horse will break from No. 1. “I just can’t see a post getting him beat. It doesn’t matter what post he drew. He is much better than these horses.”
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