he's almost like a fictional character

[onesyrinx]

Preakness laugher leaves Big Brown in line for glory

BALTIMORE -- The Preakness had just been won in a waltz, and trainer Rick Dutrow was waiting to be interviewed by NBC when he glimpsed at the JumboTron in the Pimlico Race Course infield.

On it, his massively talented colt, Big Brown, was flanked by a pair of lead ponies as they guided him back

Comments

[chiquita522]

I really don't want Big Brown to win the Belmont...I don't care for the horse, but I especially dislike the trainer. The majority ownership and

Dutrow are just blowhards who are overhyping a horse that won't race again after the Belmont to be the 2nd coming of Equine Christ. I just wish they'd have a little humality.

[onesyrinx]

You know, I don't want him to win it either. I have nothing against the horse per se, but Dutrow is such an irritating asshole that the more he talks the more I'd like to see the horse retire so I don't have to listen to him talk. I mainly want to see Casino Drive win the Belmont so someone can shove his "godzilla" comment down his fat throat.

On the plus side, he's a good research subject for a fictional character. I guess that's why I keep reading these articles.

[chiquita522]

He's like a fictional character as it is...so's the horse. It's like effin' Wonder's Champion, I swear. Big Brown - overcoming the 20th spot in once race and being squeezed in th next, quarter cracks, being lightly raced, and trounches the competition on his way to Triple Crown glory!! OMGZZZZ!!!

[onesyrinx]

Awesome. I see i need to step up the Thoroughbred rereading in time for the possible Triple Crown.

[sundae_mourning]

amazingly, i sort of like Big Brown, despite his awful connections and stupid name. but i still don't want to see him win the Triple Crown. well, a little part of me does, just because Desormeaux is such a nice guy, and god knows he deserves it after losing it by an inch and a half ten years ago. but honestly, i'd rather see Casino Drive get it. there will always be some flavor-of-the-month to come along and sweep the first two jewels, but when will there ever be an opportunity for a mare to have three consecutive winners?

[onesyrinx]

Yeah, I agree that it's more interesting if Casino Drive wins the Belmont for his dam. I have no problem with Big Brown...I just find his connections fairly distasteful. Well, in the case of Dutrow, extremely distasteful. But, whatever happens happens. Baffert's over there calling the horse the second coming, so I figure that's enough bad luck to knock the horse out. The last thing anyone needs is Baffert running in and saying this or that is a sure thing.

[mask_and_mirror]

Dutrow is just asking for something bad to happen with his cocky attitude and bad record. As a mysoginist and xenophobe, he's incredibly unlikeable, even moreso than Baffert back in his prime of cockiness.

Nevertheless... I can't help but want Big Brown to win. I don't think there's anything wrong with the horse, and a Triple Crown winner could really bring a resurgence in interest in horse racing, which might subsequently encourage a re-vamping of drug rules in the industry. It's a longshot, but in the end Big Brown *could* help other horses by winning. And at least when the IEAH owners accepted the Derby trophy, they acknowledged their condolences for Eight Belles, which was at least a nominal show of likeability.

[onesyrinx]

Yeah, I wouldn't mind if Big Brown won the whole thing, as I certainly have no problem with the horse himself. I just have to wonder if there isn't some higher power preventing people like Dutrow from attaining the highest level you can in american racing.

Although I am pretty skeptical on how a triple crown winner (a triple crown winner supposedly routinely dosed with performance-enhancing steroids, as the facts may very well be) is going to give the sport the surge it really needs to reach spectacle levels like the NFL or, hell, even Australian horse racing. After Eight Belles, it seems the only thing that will really shock the industry out of its apathy is more negative attention from the ignorant public.

[mask_and_mirror]

I suppose it *is* a longshot that the average sports viewer is going to look favorably on racing even if Big Brown wins, particularly after Eight Belles. On second thought, Big Brown winning might encourage even more dangerous doping because trainers/owners would again see the TC as less-than-impossible to win.

It's all a huge mess. Isn't it the Australian policy for no drugs except for... I can't remember which one, and if a horse has pulmonary bleeding they are given mandatory six months off the track? At this point, American racing could save itself by finally adopting a more reasonable policy like that.

[onesyrinx]

The Australian policy is pretty good, I think. Horses can't run on Lasix, so if they bleed, they're banned from racing for three months. If they bleed again when they come back they're banned permanently. Seems like a pretty solid rule to me also, and one I think American policy should adopt.