Big Brown Triple Crown . com

Rick Dutrow has been quoted a few times referring to his horse running in the Travers and then The Breeders Cup Classic after that. The Classic would likely feature a showdown with 2007 Horse of the Year, Curlin. Curlin's trainer Steve Asmussen has responded with some very postitive comments about his own horse and some doubts about Big Brown's chances.

NTRA.com - Marty McGee (DRF): Curlin vs. Big Brown: Could it happen?

The possibility of a dream race between Curlin and Big Brown already has them talking - and not just on the rumor mill. Steve Asmussen, the trainer of Curlin, said he has read a quote attributed to Rick Dutrow, the trainer of Big Brown, regarding a possible matchup. Dutrow, in the Friday editions of Daily Racing Form, said a race between the two "would be good for racing, it would be good for us, it wouldn't be so good for them.".....more

The list of possible spoilers is short, but still many are trying to pick the possible upset. The undefeated Casino Drive is the obvious choice to challenge and many Big Brown supporters are hoping he can put up a solid challenge in order to legitimize the Crown. Desormeaux, who rode Casino Drive last month calls the Belmont "a cold exacta." Others are supporting Barclay Tagg's Tale of Ekati as a possible spoiler. Tagg's Triple Crown bid was spoiled two years ago when Empire Maker upset Funny Cide on a wet Belmont track. Tale of Ekati outran his 47-1 odds to finish 4th in the Derby and will come in fresh off the 5-week rest.

Courier-Journal - Jennie Rees - May 19: Big Brown to wear Belmont bull's-eye

As trainer David Carroll told owner William Warren about running Kentucky Derby third-place finisher Denis of Cork in the June 7 Belmont Stakes, "If we don't get to make history, we'll witness history. What's wrong with that?".....more

Big Brown had the good fortune to be born in what is considered a lackluster foal crop. Then again, the same thing was said about Seattle Slew. Seattle Slew merely went on to become racing's only unbeaten Triple Crown winner, something Big Brown will try to emulate in the June 7 Belmont Stakes......more

....“It (the Belmont) looks like kind of the same deal as the Preakness,” said Finley May 19. “It’s a decent group of horses, but nobody really stands out except Big Brown. I know Casino Drive ran well in the Peter Pan (gr. II), but I think we ran pretty well in the Derby Trial and we ran OK in the Preakness. It (the Belmont purse) is a million dollars, so we’re going to roll the dice again.”.....more

...“We are leaving our options open,” Tada said May 20, without mentioning the names of the riders under consideration. “We should have a clear answer in four or five days. Fortunately, many good riders are interested, and we are pleased about that.”.....more

The roles have reversed this year for trainer Barclay Tagg and his assistant, Robin Smullen, going from the hunted to the hunters. In 2003, they tried to sweep the Triple Crown with Funny Cide, but were denied in the Belmont Stakes by Empire Maker, who had finished third to Funny Cide in the Kentucky Derby, skipped the Preakness, and came into the Belmont fresh, fit, and dangerous......more

....Quite likely, it'll be from lightly raced colt Casino Drive, whose pedigree reeks of stamina and who has been pointed to the Belmont Stakes for months......more

Two Churchill Downs-based 3-year-olds that are being pointed toward a battle against Big Brown in the Belmont Stakes (gr. I) were reported to be doing well with just over two weeks remaining before the June 7 “Test of the Champion.”.....more

....Casino Drive has been cast as Ali's Frazier, Borg's McEnroe, Russell's Celtics versus Wilt's 76ers. The new colt has run only two career races, both wins, but he turned in the same sort of scintillating performances that announced Big Brown's greatness at Saratoga last September and the Florida Derby this spring......more

...."I don't know if he's good enough or not," Tagg said Friday of Tale of Ekati. "He ran good in the Derby. He went off at 47-1 and finished fourth out of 20."The time off seemed to agree with Tale of Ekati, who sizzled in his first workout since the Derby earlier this week. The 3-year-old colt zipped a half-mile in 46.84 seconds at Belmont Park on Tuesday......more

....So, why then do I believe that Tale of Ekati has a chance in the Belmont Stakes when I was so down on him in the Kentucky Derby? Simple logistics, really. The Derby is run at 1 ¼ miles. Most horses entering the Kentucky Derby are fresh. Tale of Ekati’s chief rival, Big Brown, will not be fresh at all. .....more

This year, however, the best horses from the West have hightailed it back to California, leaving the 140th Belmont Stakes on June 7 - in which Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Big Brown will attempt to become the 12th Triple Crown winner - a match between the East (Big Brown) and the Far East (Casino Drive)......more

It appears that the Preakness field may end up soft after many of his Derby opponents' connections announced they were not interested in facing him again in the Preakness.

Blood-Horse - Ron Mitchell: The Morning After: Big Brown Scare Off

....Interviews with losing trainers and their connections the morning after the Derby revealed deep respect for the winner and no desire to face him again soon......more

Big Brown drew the outside post on a 12-horse field for the 57th running of the Florida Derby at Gulfstream park, but was still tapped as the morning-line 3/1 favorite. Jessica Pacheco previews the Florida Derby on KentuckyDerby.com:



Blood-Horse - Jason Shandler: Twelve Drawn For Intriguing Fla. Derby

A full field of 12 was drawn for the March 29 Florida Derby (gr. I), which on paper has turned out to be the most intriguing prep race for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) this year......more

....Anyone hearing the excitement in trainer Rick Dutrow’s voice when discussing Big Brown would think this is going to be racing’s next superstar, and he’s not surprised how much hype the son of Boundary has been getting. “In his first start this year, he took our breath away turning for home, so I can see how people feel the same way. I can’t blame anybody for getting excited about him,” said Dutrow.....more