Big Brown is back in his first race since the Belmont Stakes, in the $1 million Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park. Trainer Rick Dutrow wants jockey Kent Desormeaux to send Big Brown straight to the front and lead all the way, which is what they planned to happen in the Belmont Stakes. Unfortunately, Big Brown's Triple Crown bid was unsuccessful after his Belmont trip was in trouble early, and his jockey deciding to ease him out of the race as the rest of the field passed him out of the final turn.

Will Big Brown redeem himself in the Haskell? He stands a good chance, unless Belmont's starter Roy Williamson was invited to stand on the track and give Brownie another nice spook for old time's sake. Monmouth is a speed-favoring track, and Big Brown has been training very well for this race.

If you like Big Brown, you want to see the front-running Big Brown who ate up the lead in the Florida Derby. Everything that tried to run with him burned out and drifted back in the wind. That race was second off a layoff for him. So, his race-shape concerns me, but Dutrow has blown him out in his last work--maybe that will help.

Who are Brownie's biggest threats? Zito's horses, of course. Cool Coal Man seems to have the best chance of keeping up with the pace and not getting dueled out. With Coal Play, either a hot pace sends him back, or he can't catch up late. Maybe use him for third.

Longshots worth using. Something about Alaazo. His short career is deceptive--hasn't had a chance to prove much, in number and quality of races. He won his first two of four. His last race was right off a layoff, but it might have helped condition him. Iffy, but he could travel a good pace, and be in the right place late to finish in the money. Magical Forest is another longshot I was interested in, and I think I chose Alaazo over him.

Atoned is one I don't want. Worth pointing out because he became a known name on the Derby trail, and a lot of those horses are underlays the rest of the year. Atoned defines what it means when a horse hangs in the stretch. He can make a run, but can't get up into the gear that the best horses have. Use him to fill out your exotics.

I don't see a pace meltdown happening. Maybe Cool Coal Man can take advantage of Big Brown off of his layoff. The tickets? Something like: Big Brown, Cool Coal Man/Cool Coal Man, Coal Play, Alaazo/ Atoned... But I think I'll key Brownie on top.

Tags: BigBrown Haskell Horse Racing 2008 Monmouth

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