Big Brown Triple Crown . com

There will be nine horses heading to the gate on Saturday to try and beat Big Brown and they all hope they have a chance. The one fact that they all cling to is that the 1 1/2 mile race may be too long for Big Brown and just right for one of them. We will all know soon enough.

International Herald Tribune - AP: Pletcher, Zito ready to take their long shots at Big Brown

Rick Dutrow Jr. spent the past three weeks trash-talking every horse Big Brown will face in his attempt to become racing's first Triple Crown champion in 30 years. Two of the sports top trainers, each with a Belmont Stakes victory in the past four years, would like to hush the ultra-confident Dutrow. Nick Zito will try to play Triple Crown spoiler a second time when he sends out 30-1 long shots Anak Nakal and Da' Tara in Saturday's Belmont. Zito's Birdstone thwarted Smarty Jones' Triple try in the 2004 Belmont. Todd Pletcher won last year's Belmont with the filly Rags to Riches, and goes for a second straight with Ready's Echo, also 30-1......more

The New York Racing Association announced on Friday that the Hooters restaurant chain will not be allowed to sponsor Jockey Kent Desormeaux. The NYRA said that it would be a conflict with a competing sponsor. Hooters VP of Marketing, Mike McNeil, was clearly displeased with the decision indicating that no conflict existed earlier in the week when the deal was made. He added that their treatment of Desormeaux (allegedly threatening him with fines and suspension) was "just mean."

AP: Hooters out as Big Brown sponsor

....The New York Racing Association told Hooters on Friday that the chain won't be allowed to sponsor Desormeaux because of a conflict with a competing NYRA sponsor. NYRA told the owners of the chain it would announce a new sponsor before the race. Hooters said no conflict existed when the owners submitted for sponsorship earlier this week......more

Exercise Rider Michelle Nevin galloped almost the entire mile and a half around the Belmont track this morning as Big Brown got his final workout before tomorrows Belmont Stakes.

Blood-Horse - Karen Johnson: Big Brown Gets in Final Gallop

Big Brown hit the track June 6 for his final gallop before looking to make history in tomorrow's $1-million Belmont Stakes (gr.I). After the harrowing break at 8:45 a.m., Big Brown, with exercise rider Michelle Nevin aboard, galloped nearly the circumference of the 1 1/2-mile Belmont oval......more

Forecasts are for temperatures possibly reaching 90 degrees tomorrow at Belmont Park in what would be the hottest day so far this year. John Lee, Director of Media Relations for the NYRA says that the track is prepared. Heat definitely affects race horses and could be a factor, but Big Brown Trainer Richard Dutrow said yesterday that heat will not be a factor for his horse.

New York Newsday - Ed McNamara: It's gonna be hot one at Belmont Stakes day

....Like humans, horses perspire in sultry weather, and their sweat often looks like shaving cream on their necks and between their legs. Although sweating is normal, handicappers avoid betting horses dripping with perspiration, which saps their energy and makes them perform below par. A few days after the Preakness, trainer Rick Dutrow said Triple Crown hopeful Big Brown is a fresh horse because he's raced only five times in his career and hasn't run or trained in extreme heat this year. "I can't imagine [heat] being a factor; none whatsoever," Dutrow said yesterday. "Not for our horse. I don't know about the other horses."more

Big Brown's quest to become the first Triple Crown winner in three decades will not be affected by the stifling heat predicted for Saturday's Belmont Stakes, the colt's trainer said Thursday. Temperatures for the highly anticipated $1 million race were expected to top the 90-degree (32 Celsius) mark. "I can't imagine (the heat) being a factor. None whatsoever," trainer Richard Dutrow, Jr. told reporters. "Not for our horse. I don't know about the other horses.".....more

After all of the waiting, the Belmont Stakes is just one day away, but Big Brown has a full day ahead of him. Friday, he is scheduled to gallop on the Belmont track some time after the 8:45 am break and then will have his hoof patched sometime in the afternoon. According to trainer Richard Dutrow, hoof specialist Ian McKinlay will apply the patch some time in the afternoon when "you guys (the press) ain't around".

Blood-Horse - Karen Johnson: Big Brown Continues on Quest for Crown

....Big Brown is scheduled to gallop June 6, probably after the break at 8:45 a.m., according to Dutrow. Hoof specialist Ian McKinlay will patch the quarter crack on Big Brown’s left front foot the afternoon of June 6. Dutrow said the quarter crack is “dry. We could run him the way he is.” The trainer estimated it would take 45 minutes to an hour to place the patch on the foot. “As long as it looks the way it does now, we are going to patch it,” Dutrow said. “We (will do it) when there is no noise around and you guys ain’t around. We’ll take care of it then.”.....more

Most in the Horse Racing Industry seem to agree that the injury to Big Brown's hoof is minor and should not play a factor in Saturday's Belmont Stakes, but most also seem to feel that Richard Dutrow and the Big Brown team are likely downplaying the injury. Concerns that racing Big Brown is putting his life in jeopardy are clearly outlandish, but reports that he is as "good as new" are also not correct. His hoof will be patched on Friday afternoon by hoof specialist Ian McKinlay. An Acrylic adhesive will be applied and McKinlay says that it will make the area stronger than the hoof itself.

Arizona Republic - Jim Gintonio: Few see hoof crack slowing Big Brown

...."When you're talking about an injury that Big Brown is dealing with right now, a quarter-crack type injury, it's more an annoyance to a horse than anything else," ABC-ESPN analyst Randy Moss said. "It's not something along the lines that would lead to what you saw in Derby with Eight Belles or anything such as that. It's something that can cause some minor discomfort to a horse, and in a worst-case scenario could prevent him from maybe putting out the full 100 percent of effort. I'm confident that they're on top of this, although I will agree they're probably downplaying the significance of it a little bit compared to what the actual reality of the situation is.".....more

...."We could run him the way he is, but we're going to patch it up," trainer Richard Dutrow Jr. said yesterday. "We're not taking any kind of risk by patching him up right now."Others aren't so quick to dismiss the condition. While it may not seem like much for a fit thoroughbred, missing a few days of training can take a horse off his game. And if the injury is even a touch more than the Big Brown camp claims, it easily can be exposed in the gruelling Belmont. "I'm a firm believer (that) everything has to go right between races," veteran New York trainer Shug McGaughey said this week. "It's the third race in five weeks. It's a mile and a half. Big Brown, he looked great, but everything has not gone exactly right for him since the Preakness."......more

....So it was two weeks ago when Big Brown's trainer, Rick Dutrow, announced that the horse who had breezed to ridiculously easy wins in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes had a quarter crack in his left front hoof and would miss a few days of training. Ah, perhaps a sign of weakness. But yesterday, as he has done for the past several days, Dutrow emphasized that Big Brown couldn't be better......more

UPDATE: Friday the NYRA told Hooters they will not be allowed to sponsor Desormeaux - posting above (June 6)
It was announced today that Hooters will join in the sponsorship of Jockey Kent Desormeaux for Belmont Day. UPS had been the sole sponsor until the deal was announced. Kelly Wietsma, public relations manager for Desormeaux and IEAH, told the Daily news that UPS was given the opportunity to be an exclusive sponsor, but turned it down. Despite rumors to the contrary, no Hooters waitress will be present in the winners circle f Big Brown wins the race.

Blood-Horse - Claire Novak: Hooters Picks up Desormeaux Sponsorship

Contrary to previously published reports, no Hooters girls will join Big Brown in the winner's circle should he win the Triple Crown. "Reports of a corporate Hooters presence on the grounds and winners’ circle at Belmont Park are in error,” said Gavin Landry, a spokesman for the New York Racing Association (NYRA), which runs Belmont Park. “The reported sponsorship with Hooters has no contractual basis in fact with NYRA.".....more

Thursday, Richard Dutrow said that the quarter crack was "all healed." On Friday, hoof specialist Ian McKinlay will apply an acrylic and fiberglass patch to the cracked area.

Dan Gelston - AP: Big Brown injury no concern in Belmont Stakes

...."It's all healed," trainer Rick Dutrow Jr. said Thursday. "We could run him the way he is." Not exactly. On Friday, hoof specialist Ian McKinlay will apply an acrylic and fiberglass patch to the cracked area. It sets in five minutes and is "stronger than the hoof itself," he said. That's certainly encouraging news for a sport still on edge after the death of Eight Belles on the track moments after her second-place finish at the Kentucky Derby. Even Dutrow's normally unshakable confidence was dented when he first saw the crack. "Naturally, we had to worry about it," he said.....more

Thursday morning, Casino Drive got his final workout before the Belmont Stakes on Saturday. The unorthodox japanese style work again resulted in an unusual half mile time of a little over 55 seconds. Edgar prado, who was not supposed to ride Casino Drive until the Belmont Stakes was given the chance to ride him in this workout during which Casino Drive sat behind Stablemate Spark Candle until a move past him at the 1/16th pole.

New York Times - Alex Brown: Casino Drive Works

Casino Drive had another “work” Thursday morning. As part of his unorthodox, by American standards, training program he worked a half mile in a little over 55 seconds. Edgar Prado was given the mount for this move. It had earlier been reported that Prado would not ride Casino Drive until the Belmont......more

Edgar Prado is part of many of the subplots of the Belmont Stakes. Namely, he will ride Casino Drive, the strongest challenger to Big Brown's victory chances. Twice (2002 and 2004) in the last six years, Prado has been aboard a long-shot Triple Crown Spoiler in the Belmont Stakes.He beat War Emblem aboard Sarava in 2002 and beat Smarty Jones as the jockey for Birdstone in 2004. The more intriguing and less frequently reported footnote for Prado is that twice he missed chances to have been Big Brown's jockey. First, in September of last year, Prado was scheduled to ride Big Brown for his debut at Saratoga, but broke his ankle in a spill two days before the race. Jeremy Rose was chosen to replace him. Then, when Richard Dutrow became trainer Prado had a chance to work Big Brown three times at the training center in Florida and it appeared Prado would get his second chance. But, Michael Iavarone of IEAH had dinner with Kent Desormeaux one evening and decided that "Kent fit the horse." Dutrow disagreed with the decision and later even said "Prado's my man." But the drama grew more in the Preakness when Prado was aboard Riley Tucker and Dutrow publicly accused him of trying to box in Big Brown. Finally, after a prolonged search process, Nobutaka Tada, racing manager for Casino Drive named Prado as their rider. Incentives abound for Prado to become a Triple Crown Spoiler for a third time.

New York Newsday - Johnette Howard: Prado's big task is to ruin Big Brown's party

Pay attention to Edgar Prado Saturday. He's the most intriguing human in the 140th running of the Belmont Stakes. He's the two-legged King of the Spoilers, a jockey who twice in this decade has climbed aboard worse horses than he'll ride in Saturday's race and nevertheless ruined someone else's Triple Crown hopes, same as he'll try to shatter heavily favored Big Brown's chances. The difference for Prado this year? This race might be personal. Prado wouldn't admit that the other day after he strode out of the winner's circle at Belmont after the second of a typically busy seven-race day for him at his home track. Nor will Big Brown trainer Rick Dutrow and owner Michael Iavarone concede that Saturday's 11/2-mile test could darken into a grudge match, even if it was Iavarone who made the call to put Kent Desormeaux atop Big Brown this spring, against Dutrow's wishes and to Prado's surprise.
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Prado did it twice before, beating War Emblem with Sarava in 2002 and topping Smarty Jones with Birdstone in 2004. That's two of the past three Triple tries, and he did it with two long shots. This time, Prado will be riding perhaps the biggest threat to Big Brown, the 2-5 morning-line favourite, with Casino Drive the 7-2 second choice in the field of 10 3-year-olds......more

New York Times reporter Joe Drape wrote today that Richard Dutrow had not given Big Brown Steroids since April 15th. If this is the case, some experts are indicating that this would mean a win at the Belmont Stakes would be "steroids-free." Dutrow has also reduced Big Brown's dose of electrolytes.

New York Times - Joe Drape: Big Brown Free of Steroids, Trainer Says

....Gary Wadler, a New York University medical professor and antidoping expert, said that if you took Dutrow’s claims at face value, that Big Brown has not received steroids since mid-April, then it would be fair to argue that a victory in the Belmont Stakes, at least, could be considered steroid-free......more

....On the advice of Hall of Fame trainer Bobby Frankel, Dutrow also reduced Big Brown's dose of electrolytes. "The horse looks like an absolute picture so I didn't want to mess with anything, you know," Dutrow said. Greg Bennett, Dutrow's primary veterinarian, said Thursday that a sterile solution of electrolytes is given intravenously by a stomach tube......more

The field is set for the Belmont Stakes on Saturday and Big Brown will leave from the number one post position of a ten horse field. He has been made a 2-5 favorite and Casino Drive will go off from the five position as a morning-line 7-2 second favorite. Belmont Park odds maker Eric Donovan has sent the message clearly that this should be a two horse race, tagging the third favorite, Denis of Cork, at 12-1. The number one post has produced the most Belmont winners since 1905 with 23 Champions coming from that post. Jockey Kent Desormeaux is generally happy with the spot commenting that Big Brown is so fast away from the gate that the race could be over "in 40 yards." One surprise entry in the field is Guadacanal who is still a maiden having never won a race before. The entire field shapes up like this:

1 Big Brown (Richard Dutrow Jr./Kent Desormeaux) 2-5
        NTRA Profile, BloodHorse.com Profile
2 Guadalcanal (Fred Seitz/Javier Castellano) 50-1
        BloodHorse.com Profile
3 Macho Again (Dallas Stewart/Garrett Gomez) 20-1
        NTRA Profile, BloodHorse.com Profile
4 Denis of Cork (David Carroll/Robby Albarado) 12-1
        NTRA Profile, BloodHorse.com Profile
5 Casino Drive (Kazuo Fujisawa/Edgar Prado) 7-2
        NTRA Profile, BloodHorse.com Profile
6 Da' Tara (Nick Zito/Alan Garcia) 30-1
        
7 Tale of Ekati (Barclay Tagg/Eibar Coa) 20-1
        NTRA Profile, BloodHorse.com Profile
8 Anak Nakal (Nick Zito/Julien Leparoux) 30-1
        NTRA Profile, BloodHorse.com Profile
9 Ready's Echo (Todd Pletcher/John Velazquez) 30-1
        BloodHorse.com Profile
10 Icabad Crane (H. Graham Motion/Jeremy Rose) 20-1
        BloodHorse.com Profile

AP - Dan Gelston: Big Brown to break from No. 1 post in Belmont

Jockey Kent Desormeaux, whose flawless handling of the horse has Big Brown in position for the first Triple Crown in 30 years, said the inside was a better spot. "Absolutely, because it's an easier trip," he said. "I would be able to just guide and glide. Now, I'm going to have to jockey for position. He's so fast away from the gate, though, the race might be over in 40 yards." Surprise, surprise. Trainer Rick Dutrow Jr. said Big Brown would win no matter the post position......more

...."The shortest distance from the gate to the wire is on the rail," said Hall of Famer Jockey Jerry Bailey, a two-time Belmont winner. "Even though he might be good enough to go four- or five-wide on these turns, I wouldn't want to. What people forget is how long these turns are. If he were out there four- or five-wide, he would be giving away a lot of ground......more

Big Brown is a 2-5 favorite to win the 140th Belmont Stakes on June 7 and become thoroughbred racing's first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed 30 years ago. The undefeated colt will leave from the No. 1 post position in the 10-horse field at the longest of the Triple Crown races after winning the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes by a combined 10 lengths. .....more

Big Brown completed his final workout before the Belmont Stakes this morning running five furlongs in one minute flat in front of 200 media members and spectators. Exercise rider Michelle Nevin was aboard as usual taking him on the main track at about 8:50 am on a warm, humid morning at Belmont Park. All involved were very happy with the workout and felt that it went according to the plan; Michelle Nevin, who was admittedly nervous in anticipation of the big race commented that Trainer Richard Dutrow had asked her to "breeze him just like you do every other time." Hoof specialist, Ian McKinlay will wait until Friday to apply the patch to his healing hoof. Dutrow says that he is right on track and that the hoof held up well in the workout. He commented "he jumped over a big hurdle today." McKinlay had positive comments about the recovery and explained the simple process he will go through on Friday to patch the injury. He also took time today to defend Richard Dutrow and the sport of Horse Racing, squashing comments that the horses life was being put in jeopardy by running him in the Belmont Stakes.

New York Newsday - Ed McNamara: Big Brown comes through in workout

When it's showtime, Big Brown always comes through. The Kentucky Derby/Preakness winner pleased his connections and about 200 media members and spectators Tuesday in his only official workout for the Belmont Stakes. The superstar colt breezed 5 furlongs in a minute flat for exercise rider Michelle Nevin on a warm, humid morning at Belmont Park......more

Big Brown's cracked left front hoof is improving daily and held up well Tuesday in his final workout before the Belmont Stakes and his bid for the Triple Crown......more

Casino Drive and his Japanese connections have brought drama, intrigue and some unorthodox practices to Belmont Park. His workout routine is something that is not seen in America and is turning heads at the track.

New York Times - Joe Drape: From a Leisurely Trot to a Showdown at Belmont

Each morning, Casino Drive is saddled up and ridden along the backside of Belmont Park. For an hour, he darts between barns, sends puffs of dirt in the air as he clip-clops down shady paths and garners admiring stares from the most hard-bitten of horsemen. When Casino Drive, a chestnut colt, finally hits the racetrack for a gallop, he swallows the ground with his giant strides......more

....The way Casino Drive is training for the Belmont has raised eyebrows. It is a unique approach, by U.S. standards. Most American-based horses prepare for races with jogs, gallops and workouts on the track. Casino Drive, in contrast, is a power walker, taking vigorous one-hour strolls through the barn area. He then goes to the track for an easy jog before resuming another hour of walking. "We really try to pick his feet up," said Nobutaka Tada, spokesman for owner Hidetoshi Yamamoto and trainer Kazuo Fujisawa. "We want him to be ready, so he will be strong.".....more

Hoof specialist Ian McKinlay decided that Big Brown did not need a patch on his quarter crack before his workout on Tuesday, but will patch him the morning of the race, Saturday. Big Brown is expected to breeze five furlongs under excersie rider michelle Nevin in his only official Belmont prep workout. McKinlay is very confident that the quarter crack will heal on its own. Dutrow and McKinlay explained that the longer they wait, the better off he will be. "It is in absolutely perfect shape, McKinalay added, "he looks like a million bucks." Presumably, he means to say that Big Brown looks great; this was an excusable and accidental understatement as $1,000,000 would mean Big Brown was at "less than 2%" (he is insured for $50,000,000 and is worth much more).

Blood-Horse - Steve Haskin: Big Brown to Work Tuesday Without Patch

...“I’m going to breeze him just the way he is and give him more time to let Ian (hoof specialist McKinlay) put the patch on the day before the race,” Dutrow said. “The longer we wait the better. As long as he gallops and trains like he did today that’s exactly what we’re going to do......more

The hoof specialist Ian McKinlay says that Big Brown, the Kentucky Derby and Preakness champ, does not need a patch on the quarter crack on his left front hoof until the morning of the Belmont Stakes. So the trainer Rick Dutrow will give Big Brown his final hard workout Tuesday without it and gallop him into the race confident the colt’s tender hoof is healed......more

New York Post reporter Steve Serby had a chance to talk with Big Brown trainer Richard Dutrow. The transcript of their conversation is here:



FoxSports.com - Steve Serby (New York Post): Looking for answers from Big Brown trainer

...When he goes out, he stands, he's surveying, he's looking to see what's going on. . . . He's very, very confident and proud of himself. When he sees the other horses in the paddock, he's just gonna fluff them off like a bunch of clowns knowing that he's got 'em in his pocket......more

On Sunday, the expected field of the Belmont Stakes dropped from eleven to nine as Tomcito and Spark Candle were removed from the list of hopefuls. Tomcito, who finished 3rd in the Kentucky Derby was withdrawn from contention because of congestion and Spark Candle was entered in a Grade III stakes race on Friday. Spark Candle is the stablemate of Big Brown's closest challenger, Casino Drive.

ESPN.com - David Grening (DRF): Tomcito and Spark Candle out of Belmont Stakes

Tomcito, third to Big Brown in the Florida Derby, had some congestion on Sunday morning and was declared from the race, trainer Dante Zanelli Jr. said. Zanelli said that the owner, Jet Set Racing Stable, was likely to move the horse to another New York-based trainer and Zanelli would return to his Lexington, Ky., base. Also, Spark Candle, a stablemate of probable Belmont second choice Casino Drive, was entered and is scheduled to run in Friday's Grade 3, $100,000 Hill Prince at one mile on the turf at Belmont......more

Big Brown had his usual mile and a half gallop around the Belmont Track on Sunday and got an extra bit of attention from the "Breakfast at Belmont" Crowd. Exercise rider Michelle Nevin called him "cheeky" and said that he knows something is happening because of all the attention he is getting.

New York Newsday - Ed McNamara: Big Brown gallops at breakfast

A warm Sunday morning with Big Brown: What more could a racing fan ask for? The Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner made a cameo appearance yesterday for the "Breakfast at Belmont" crowd, who cheered as exercise rider Michelle Nevin galloped him past the grandstand on a muddy track. Although the calm, friendly colt likes being petted, he didn't stop for a photo op, coffee and doughnuts. "He was very cheeky," Nevin said. "He had a basic gallop again and he felt good. He knows something is going on because all these people are around him all the time.".....more

Saturday, Big Brown galloped with exercise rider Michelle Nevin and his trainer Richard Dutrow's confidence incredibly seemed to grow even more. Dutrow said it was the best he has galloped since getting to New York and that Big Brown "is ready to go out and do something." The quarter crack continues to heel and all involved seem to get more and more confident in each passing day.

New York Newsday - Ed McNamara: Big Brown is on the muscle as Belmont looms

Seven days from his shot at immortality, Big Brown was ready to fire. The undefeated 3-year-old was unusually aggressive in his gallop yesterday for exercise rider Michelle Nevin, and his trainer said the colt senses that showtime is approaching......more

Saturday morning, hoof specialist Ian McKinley changed the steel sutres, "drew it down nice and tight", and intensified the iodine and alcohol solution to ward off possible infection. He is confident that Big Brown will be "fabulous" by Monday and ready for the Belmont Stakes on Saturday June 7th.

CNNSI (AP): Big Brown on target for Belmont

A hoof specialist changed the steel sutures in Big Brown's foot Saturday and said the unbeaten colt remains on target for the Belmont Stakes in a bid for the Triple Crown."When you push on it now, he doesn't even feel it," hoof specialist Ian McKinlay said from Belmont Park......more