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Title: Big Brown retired after injury in Breeders Cup workout
Tags: BigBrown 2008 Thoroughbred horse racing horseracing
Blog Entry: Big Brown tore part of his right front foot off while preparing for the Breeders Cup Classic, and was retired from racing shortly afterward. The work took place with stablemate and multiple Grade 1 winner Kip Deville over Aqueduct's turf course on the morning of Monday, October 13. Trainer Rick Dutrow, minority owner Paul Pompa, and Mike Iavarone of IEAH Stables were at first exhilarated to witness Big Brown work six furlongs in a bullet 1:12.93 (or 1:12 4/5). But, Dutrow then noticed Big Brown's injured hoof as the Kentucky Derby winner walked off the track, and told Iavarone back at the barn "I think we're in big trouble with Big Brown". The injury happened when during the workout Big Brown "grabbed his quarter", meaning one of the horse's rear hooves grabbed his right front foot, causing the skin and hoof to tear. The injury is not life-threatening, nor is it related to Big Brown's previous quarter crack problem's which can be traced as hereditary, and have not reappeared since his preparations for the Belmont Stakes. Big Brown's workout injury caused a three- to four-inch gash where about half the bulb of his right front foot had been torn off, also exposing where part of his hoof was now missing. Big Brown did not appear sore until returning to the barn, as he walked around the shedrow. With a 60-90 day recovery time anticipated, there's no way the injury would heal in time for Big Brown to run as planned in the Breeders Cup Classic, which takes place in less than two weeks on Saturday, October 25th, and the horse was to be retired in December, so ultimately Big Brown's racing career has come to an early end. He will begin his stud career at Three Chimneys in 2009. Well, never let it be said that Big Brown did anything unimpressively. What a ghastly-looking injury. And yet they say there was hardly any blood, and he didn't show any discomfort until back at the barn. What a monster, I gotta love him. His performances in races like the Florida Derby and Kentucky Derby left us with BIG memories--he almost broke the track record when running away with the Florida Derby, and he was the first horse to win the Kentucky Derby from post 20 since 1929. His average margin of victory was about five lengths, including a push-button 5 1/4 length score under wraps in the Preakness Stakes. Even when he did not get the Triple Crown in the Belmont Stakes, he left us with a race we'll never stop talking about. In the Belmont, Big Brown's best looking rival, Casino Drive--related to three Belmont Stakes winners--was scratched out the morning of the race, and the Triple Crown was Big Brown's oyster. But, the race was an unbelievable disappointment. Big Brown was startled and slipped at the start, costing his intended mission as front-runner; then he was forced six-wide down the backstretch; and most shockingly eased out near the top of the lane after Jockey Kent Desormeaux was very concerned when he had no horse in the Belmont--after all, in his opinion Big Brown was the best horse he'd ever ridden. The winner, Da' Tara went on to win the slowest Belmont since 70-1 longshot Sarava won in 2002. In his comeback race, Big Brown returned after a layoff to win the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park, digging in to run down loose-on-the-lead front-runner Coal Play down the stretch. His final race was the inaugural $500,000 Monmouth Stakes, where he would return to the turf for the first time since his debut at two-years-old, and face older horses for the first time. In the Monmouth Stakes, Big Brown lead all the way, setting fast splits, and defeated multiple Grade 1 turf winners, turning them all back as they charged down the stretch. They closed in on him from all sides, even up the rail, but Big Brown would not let them prevail. He won seven of eight starts--nearly undefeated--and won $3,614,500. I'm often relieved when horses are retired after fractures or bone injuries that will heal anyway. Horses like Invasor and Rags to Riches were so determined, I often think it's best they retire after a fracture or bone injury before they really hurt themselves in a very challenging race--they give their all. Big Brown's injury is not as severe as a bone-inury, and I might even be anxious to see him run at four if that were the plan. But, it isn't, his breeding rights were sold during the Triple Crown series, and the plan was that his career would culminate with the Breeders Cup Classic. In September, Mike Iavarone of IEAH voiced the possibilty of buying out Three Chimneys' share and keeping Big Brown in training at four. But, Robert Clay of Three Chimneys disagreed with that scenario, reminding that the clause in Big Brown's contract demanded that both IEAH and Three Chimneys would have to mutually agree to abandon plans to retire Big Brown to the farm on December 1st. In fact, applications to breed the horse have already been accepted, and Clay suggested the premium it would take for him to give up Big Brown's breeding rights were beyond IEAH's means alone. I'm disappointed Big Brown won't get the chance to beat his best rivals and earn Horse of the Year honors in the Breeders Cup Classic. Because of his evidently hereditary foot problems--the quarter cracks--I have always appreciated the fact that he'd be retired by the end of his three-year-old campaign, because I also believe that horse racing fans deserve to see their Thoroughbred heroes retire healthy and sound. But, his absence from the Breeders Cup Classic leaves a void a fan can't easily fill with another competitor. Big Brown was horse racing's anti-hero. His fans admired the thrilling Thoroughbred's speed and professional running tactics. Aside from that, he loved to pose for the cameras and play with a red rubber ball that hung outside of his stall. His defamers despised his trainer's outspoken confidence in the horse, and often derided Big Brown for his rivals' lack of equally impressive performances. For all those who juvenilely trash talked this awesome three-year-old colt--and probable candidate for the Eclipse Awards Three-Year-Old Champion--and for those who said a lot of stupid things when trying to unfavorably compare him to brilliant four-year-old Horse of the Year Curlin, I leave you with the words of Curlin's owner, Jess Jackson: "My family and I are saddened to learn of Big Brown’s career ending injury during his morning workout. 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."