Big Brown was a shooting star in 2008

Horseracing Betting Lines

10/14/2008 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The buzz began following his double-digit victory in a maiden race on the turf at Saratoga in 2007. He did not race again until the Gulfstream Park meet in early 2008.

Big Brown lit up the sky with a commanding win in the Florida Derby from the far outside post. The colt convinced the skeptics by easily taking the Kentucky Derby from the unheard of assignment of post 20.

"I don't see that he beat a great Derby field," trainer Rick Dutrow, Jr. said after Big Brown won the Kentucky Derby, "so I wouldn't know how to judge things." Like Secretariat (in 1973), that was best crop I've ever seen in my life, and he beat 'em, he took 'em to the cleaners every time he ran against them. I'm not one to compare him against past horses. It just wasn't a strong Derby field other than our horse."

Dutrow was probably correct in his evaluation of the crop of three-year-olds in 2008. They have not proven to be quite as good as the group from 2007. However, Big Brown was given every disadvantage in the Run for the Roses and still won convincingly.

Two weeks later Big Brown and rider Kent Desormeaux won the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico to move within one win of sweeping the Triple Crown.

"Anybody that watched the race could see Kent never hit him with the stick that I could see," observed Dutrow. "Kent might have asked him to run for a 16th of a mile when he turned for home just to put the race away and glided to the wire. I'm going to be under the impression that he's going to be awful tough to beat in the Belmont."

Three weeks later the unimaginable occurred. Big Brown's last place finish in the Belmont Stakes, after being eased by Desormeaux, will never be properly explained.

Given time off, Big Brown made his next start in the Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park as the 1-5 favorite. It's a race that will be remembered by everyone who saw it. Big Brown let Coal Play set the pace. Coal Play appeared to be on his way to an upset.

Trainer Nick Zito had already shocked the world when his Da' Tara won the Belmont Stakes. This time he sent out Coal Play and seemed again to be set for an upset.

"I thought we had a helluva shot turning for home," Zito said. "I thought to myself 'We could do this again.' I'm very happy right now. We made him (Big Brown) run, that's for sure. But this is good for racing. Coal Play ran a big race."

Down the stretch Big Brown drifted to the outside and looked to be unable to catch Coal Play.

"I thought we were in trouble at the quarter-pole," noted Big Brown's majority owner Michael Iavarone. "Nick Zito's horse ran so big. He kicked away from us and I thought we were in trouble. This was another dimension for Big Brown, he showed his heart and courage."

Big Brown found something late down the stretch to catch Coal Play and avoid another shocking loss.

Dutrow kept Big Brown ready for the Breeders' Cup Classic by starting him in a turf stakes at Monmouth. The win in the Monmouth Stakes over Proudinsky was impressive, because the colt showed he could meet a challenge.

"The way he dug down this afternoon showed his true heart and his true courage," noted Iavarone. "There is nothing he can do that will surprise me any more."

However, that would prove to be Big Brown's final race. The leading three- year-old of 2008 has been retired following a hoof injury suffered during training.

The anticipated match-up with Curlin in the Breeders' Cup Classic will never take place. Big Brown is assured of being named 2008 Eclipse Award winner as champion male three-year-old.

"My family and I are saddened to learn of Big Brown's career ending injury during his morning workout," Jess Jackson, majority owner of Curlin, said in a statement. "I have always said what an incredible horse Big Brown is and that the bay colt brought energy and excitement to our industry, especially during his run at the Triple Crown.

"I am equally disappointed that Big Brown and Curlin will never compete against each other. It was a dream of mine and thousands of other fans of the sport. Now, we all join together in wishing Big Brown a speedy recovery."

Disappointment is the appropriate word. Dutrow said a lot through the summer about his horse versus Curlin. It was the most anticipated pairing in a long time.

We can only wish Big Brown the best in his new career as a stallion. May he produce competitive thoroughbreds that we can enjoy watching compete.