No crown for Brown

I fully accepted and anticipated the fact that Big Brown might not win the Belmont. I knew it was possible that one of the fresh horses might have more left in the tank in deep stretch and out-finish him. But I fully expected to see the same Big Brown we saw in the Preakness, and that just didn't happen. That was not the Big Brown who kicked away from his rivals at the top of the stretch and made them look like cheap claimers. That was not the Brown who came from post 20 in the Derby, went wide all the way around the track, and still stormed away to an easy win. I don't know why he didn't show up on Saturday, but even the great ones have bad days, and Brown just wasn't himself.

After the race, he scoped clean, he hadn't flipped his palate, his legs and cracked hoof were cold---in other words, he was fine physically. I suspect the heat combined with a track that was deeper than he liked just exhausted him, especially having missed some training due to the crack. He simply wasn't as fit and rested as we'd all hoped, and maybe that extra quarter mile was just a bit too much to ask of the son of a sprinter sire. I don't know. I'm sorry Brownie didn't win because from all I've heard, he's a really neat horse just to be around, and I'm sorry for my friends who are involved with him. I am not sorry that Dutrow and IEAH didn't win though. Maybe they'll gain some humility out of this? I won't hold my breath.

On the plus side, since BB has been given a clean bill of health, it's reported that he will be pointed to the Jim Dandy and Travers, and I hope we'll see the real Brown again then. I like the horse despite the people around him, and I would love to see him redeem himself to the nay-sayers. As for the winner, if Brown couldn't do it, it's nice to see Tiznow sire a big winner in Da'Tara. It wasn't exactly scintillating and it wasn't fast, but a win is a win. And it keeps that Man O' War sire line chugging along, and that is definitely a good thing.

I have to say, though, that I was taken aback by all the vitriol spewed on various forums about BB's loss. Mock Dutrow and IEAH all you want, but don't make fun of a horse who can't help who his connections are and who was running on empty on the turn. It's not his fault.

I am also really surprised to see criticism of Kent D's ride. What was he supposed to do, whip home a horse who wasn't going to hit the board anyway? If Kent says the he pushed the gas and the tank was empty, I believe him. He was the only one sitting on Big Brown and the only one who can say how much horse he had. I could see him shaking the reins at Brown on the turn and getting nothing in response. What does it matter if he finished 5 lengths behind the field or 50? If he had whipped the horse home, I can tell you people would be out for blood. He can't win for losing. In the end, Kent did what he thought was best for the horse at that moment---not the owners, not the trainer, not the bettors, not the fans---just the horse, and he will always have my utmost respect for that.

Evening Attire: Gallant Gelding

"Tomorrow" has turned into more than a week as real life has a way of intruding on my blogging time, but I promise I will address the issue of breeding for soundness versus speed soon. And the Belmont, too.

Before I get to any of that though, I just wanted to give mad props to Evening Attire, that gallant grey gelding, who made his 68th start this past Friday. He has been running consistently, year in, year out, since starting his career eight years ago. His most recent start was the Brooklyn Handicap, a race which has been restored to its 12 furlong glory (much to my delight), and you'd never have guessed that Evening Attire is 10 years old. He came from way back as usual, closed nicely in the stretch, and nabbed second only 2 lengths behind the winner. A grand performance from a grand old man. We need to be breeding more tough warriors like him.