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Friday, May 30, 2008

Big Brown's Beginnings



(Thanks to reader Alex, of The ThoroughMetrics Blog. And yeah, that's worth a link, thanks!)

12 Comments:

Anonymous said...

Alan,
Think back to all the races you have seen - when have you ever seen a two year old do that first time out at 1 1/16. BB would be better on Turf no doubt - his class and weak foes is what get it done for him on dirt. In terms of his worth at stud, wouldn't they be better off running him once more after the Belmont (assuming he wins) on turf. Of course I don't see any senerio given his fragile feet in which they do bring him back but one turf win would add to his value for sure.

Michael said...

Zee Zee looked equally impressive in her first out at Saratoga.

Alex said...

30for60 - My dream race is Big Brown vs. Curlin in the Arc.

Anonymous said...

Yeah that would be something but it is just a dream of course - Curlin would smoke him!! Michael your Zee Zee comparison is a head scratcher for me. Ran after a slowish pace and barely hung on, albeit gamely. Nice race though and we just may look at things through different lenses - fair enough.

Alan Mann said...

Don't recall Zee Zee specifically, but remember that Big Brown came home in 22.62 and 5.87 for the last quarter and sixteenth. So, even though Jeremy Rose was whipping him with a ten length lead, he already displayed that acceleration that we've been seeing from those blimp shots. All the more reason why I agree that grass racing would really suit him better. Be easier on those feet too!

Superfecta said...

I would love to see him go to Royal Ascot to take on some real competition. Can't see that happening, given the timing (and stud deal), alas...

Anonymous said...

This was the gutsiest move that Iavarone and IEAH made- having the balls to plunk down $3 mill immediately following this maiden race win on the grass on getaway day at the Spa. Racing fans would like to see some of that risk taking making a comeback following the Belmont.


Win or lose in the Belmont, they must be commended for getting the tender BB this far without a loss. Still would like to see a Curlin -Big Brown match up in the Whitney; BB could use it as a tune up for the Travers and, if he won both, his reputation would be assured, and the BC Classic on the synthetics would become much less important.

NYRA should be thinking about how to encourage this scenario by going head to head with it's only real competitor, the Breeders Cup. I'll leave the need for a Belmont Stakes Renaissance to another post next week. /S/Green Mtn Punter

Anonymous said...

Not so sure CURLIN would so easily smoke BIG BROWN. BIG BROWN is much handier and has better turn of foot than CURLIN. CURLIN is a big clunky beast out of the mold of EASY GOER and ALYDAR. Horses like this are always vulnerable, especially in big fields where they are forced, more often than not, to go wide, and almost always lose ground to handier horses around the turns.

I hope we get to see this happen. Although if they go in the ARC there's every possibility a Euromarathoner or two would best them both. 12 furlongs is further than either one wants to go.

ljk said...

Asmussen hates synthetics, BB has tender feet, the obvious matchup is the BC Turf.

I was one thinking they'd keep BB in training to take a shot at Curlin. But I fear the quarter crack will require time off after the Belmont, and if he can't make the Travers it'll be retirement for sure.

Anonymous said...

Curlin has gone wide winning before and I do belive that a four year old curlin would smoke Big Brown at three. He won big at Monmouth for shit sakes, does he need to show a BB turn of foot? I don't blame IEAH I would not push it with him either. I just think Curlin is in a class of his own and durability beyond a 6 race liftime campaign is part of being a great racehorse!

Anonymous said...

NYRA should create a $1Million dollar race going 10f on real dirt on Breeders Cup Day, with kickers if a certain number of grade one winners enter.

This might encourage The Showdown, while giving the KY hard boots a kick in the butt.

Unknown said...

Frank Lyons of TVG and a former trainer said yesterday that BB was the best horse he has ever been around and maybe the best horse --- ever.

"If he makes it to the gate, the only question is 'how much does he win by?'"