Velazquez on Ready's Echo, off Anak Nakal
By JAY PRIVMAN
ELMONT, N.Y. – Trainer Nick Zito and Kassem Masri, the owner of Anak Nakal, on Monday released jockey John Velazquez from his commitment to ride Anak Nakal in the Belmont Stakes on Saturday so Velazquez could ride Ready’s Echo.
Velazquez had committed to Anak Nakal before knowing definitively that Ready’s Echo would run. Ready’s Echo is trained by Velazquez’s main client, Todd Pletcher.
“We had a call and we released him,” Zito said. “Mr. Masri and I believe in good karma.”
Zito said Julien Leparoux would now ride Anak Nakal. Alan Garcia, Zito said, would ride Zito’s second Belmont entrant, Da’ Tara.
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To remove first post, remove entire topic.
Velazquez on Ready's Echo, off Anak Nakal
By JAY PRIVMAN
ELMONT, N.Y. – Trainer Nick Zito and Kassem Masri, the owner of Anak Nakal, on Monday released jockey John Velazquez from his commitment to ride Anak Nakal in the Belmont Stakes on Saturday so Velazquez could ride Ready’s Echo.
Velazquez had committed to Anak Nakal before knowing definitively that Ready’s Echo would run. Ready’s Echo is trained by Velazquez’s main client, Todd Pletcher.
“We had a call and we released him,” Zito said. “Mr. Masri and I believe in good karma.”
Zito said Julien Leparoux would now ride Anak Nakal. Alan Garcia, Zito said, would ride Zito’s second Belmont entrant, Da’ Tara.
Big Brown no lock, Beyers say
By DICK JERARDI
PHILADELPHIA - Assuming Big Brown makes it to the starting gate for the Belmont Stakes, the colt will have one significant issue beyond the hoof problems and the difficulty of making it all the way through the Triple Crown in top form. This will be the colt's fourth Grade 1 race and the first in which he does not have dominant Beyer Speed Figures.
In the Florida Derby, Kentucky Derby, and Preakness, Big Brown laid over the field. Getting 3-2 in Florida and 2-1 in Kentucky looked like real bargains in the stretch.
Getting 1-5 in the Preakness was not unexpected, given the Beyer disparity. The closest last-out Beyer to Big Brown was 10 points. The race played out just as the figures suggested it would.
In fact, last-out Beyers ran one-two in the Preakness when Macho Again (99) closed late to be second to Big Brown (109). That the public went for Gayego as the second choice and let Macho Again go off at 39-1 was a bonus. So was the $36.60 exacta for the true Beyer believers.
By the way, did anybody note the difference in place and exacta prices? Macho Again paid $17.20 to place. Why would you bet that when the exacta paid twice as much and the race was so obviously going to Big Brown?
The Belmont is not nearly so obvious. For the first time in a Grade 1, Big Brown will not enter the gate with a significant Beyer edge in general or with the best last-out Beyer in particular.
Big Brown's Derby Beyer was right on par. The sheet guys are saying it was the greatest Derby ever from a numbers standpoint, apparently because of the ground loss. Our numbers do not suggest that at all.
Big Brown got a 100 Beyer in the Preakness, far off par. In fact, it was the lowest Preakness Beyer in 15 years.
We all saw how easy the Preakness was, that Kent Desormeaux once again rode like he could not lose, that the jockey almost toyed with the field until the top of the stretch when he asked Big Brown to run for maybe 150 yards before easing off the throttle.
Would the colt have run faster if Desormeaux asked? Possibly. But the numbers are the numbers. If you believe, you believe.
Casino Drive got a 101 Beyer in the Peter Pan and will enter the gate at the Belmont with the slightest of last-out Beyer edges.
This Triple Crown really has not been terribly complicated. The fastest horses are getting most of the money. Thinking too much has been a waste of time and counter-productive.
I thought Big Brown had an 80 percent chance of winning the Derby and bet it that way. I thought the Derby winner had a 100 percent chance of winning the Preakness and bet one exacta ticket - best last-out Beyer over second-best last-out Beyer.
Big Brown is going to be 1-5 or 2-5 in the Belmont. I still think he is the most likely winner, but he is not the near lock he was in Kentucky or the absolute lock he was in Baltimore.
The Beyer Figures say this race is close. I am not sure Big Brown's trainer, Rick Dutrow, is going to be able to run to the winner's circle at the quarter pole. I agreed with Dutrow in Louisville and Baltimore when he said Big Brown could not lose. And I loved that he said it.
Casino Drive is the best horse Big Brown has faced. Obviously, it is also true the other way. Check out the video of Casino Drive's first race in Japan. The colt showed very good speed and kept going. In the Peter Pan, Casino Drive ran like a very experienced horse, dealing with several situations like a horse racing for the 12th time, not the second.
Having praised Casino Drive, the reality is that Big Brown is lengths better than anything Casino Drive has faced. Only a truly special horse can win from the 12 post in the Florida Derby, the 20 post in the Kentucky Derby, and win the Preakness in a blowout with not a little bit of disdain.
Still, that 100 Beyer in the Preakness is troubling. What also concerns me is how many smart people in the business are saying the horse can't lose the Belmont. The last time I heard this much unanimity was on Arazi in the 1992 Derby.
The Beyers going into that Derby strongly suggested Arazi was anything but a lock. Perception, however, became reality, and Arazi was bet like a lock, odds-on, and ran eighth.
Big Brown was very real to me going into the Derby and Preakness. Now, there is a perception that the colt is unbeatable when the Beyer reality says that is not the case.
You can root on perception. Betting, however, is about reality.
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Big Brown no lock, Beyers say
By DICK JERARDI
PHILADELPHIA - Assuming Big Brown makes it to the starting gate for the Belmont Stakes, the colt will have one significant issue beyond the hoof problems and the difficulty of making it all the way through the Triple Crown in top form. This will be the colt's fourth Grade 1 race and the first in which he does not have dominant Beyer Speed Figures.
In the Florida Derby, Kentucky Derby, and Preakness, Big Brown laid over the field. Getting 3-2 in Florida and 2-1 in Kentucky looked like real bargains in the stretch.
Getting 1-5 in the Preakness was not unexpected, given the Beyer disparity. The closest last-out Beyer to Big Brown was 10 points. The race played out just as the figures suggested it would.
In fact, last-out Beyers ran one-two in the Preakness when Macho Again (99) closed late to be second to Big Brown (109). That the public went for Gayego as the second choice and let Macho Again go off at 39-1 was a bonus. So was the $36.60 exacta for the true Beyer believers.
By the way, did anybody note the difference in place and exacta prices? Macho Again paid $17.20 to place. Why would you bet that when the exacta paid twice as much and the race was so obviously going to Big Brown?
The Belmont is not nearly so obvious. For the first time in a Grade 1, Big Brown will not enter the gate with a significant Beyer edge in general or with the best last-out Beyer in particular.
Big Brown's Derby Beyer was right on par. The sheet guys are saying it was the greatest Derby ever from a numbers standpoint, apparently because of the ground loss. Our numbers do not suggest that at all.
Big Brown got a 100 Beyer in the Preakness, far off par. In fact, it was the lowest Preakness Beyer in 15 years.
We all saw how easy the Preakness was, that Kent Desormeaux once again rode like he could not lose, that the jockey almost toyed with the field until the top of the stretch when he asked Big Brown to run for maybe 150 yards before easing off the throttle.
Would the colt have run faster if Desormeaux asked? Possibly. But the numbers are the numbers. If you believe, you believe.
Casino Drive got a 101 Beyer in the Peter Pan and will enter the gate at the Belmont with the slightest of last-out Beyer edges.
This Triple Crown really has not been terribly complicated. The fastest horses are getting most of the money. Thinking too much has been a waste of time and counter-productive.
I thought Big Brown had an 80 percent chance of winning the Derby and bet it that way. I thought the Derby winner had a 100 percent chance of winning the Preakness and bet one exacta ticket - best last-out Beyer over second-best last-out Beyer.
Big Brown is going to be 1-5 or 2-5 in the Belmont. I still think he is the most likely winner, but he is not the near lock he was in Kentucky or the absolute lock he was in Baltimore.
The Beyer Figures say this race is close. I am not sure Big Brown's trainer, Rick Dutrow, is going to be able to run to the winner's circle at the quarter pole. I agreed with Dutrow in Louisville and Baltimore when he said Big Brown could not lose. And I loved that he said it.
Casino Drive is the best horse Big Brown has faced. Obviously, it is also true the other way. Check out the video of Casino Drive's first race in Japan. The colt showed very good speed and kept going. In the Peter Pan, Casino Drive ran like a very experienced horse, dealing with several situations like a horse racing for the 12th time, not the second.
Having praised Casino Drive, the reality is that Big Brown is lengths better than anything Casino Drive has faced. Only a truly special horse can win from the 12 post in the Florida Derby, the 20 post in the Kentucky Derby, and win the Preakness in a blowout with not a little bit of disdain.
Still, that 100 Beyer in the Preakness is troubling. What also concerns me is how many smart people in the business are saying the horse can't lose the Belmont. The last time I heard this much unanimity was on Arazi in the 1992 Derby.
The Beyers going into that Derby strongly suggested Arazi was anything but a lock. Perception, however, became reality, and Arazi was bet like a lock, odds-on, and ran eighth.
Big Brown was very real to me going into the Derby and Preakness. Now, there is a perception that the colt is unbeatable when the Beyer reality says that is not the case.
You can root on perception. Betting, however, is about reality.
Triple Crown | Posted 5/31/2008, 5:56 pm
Rose knows Big Brown - and the Belmont
By JAY PRIVMAN
As the only jockey to have ridden Big Brown, attempted to beat him, and won the Belmont Stakes, Jeremy Rose is in a unique position heading into the 140th Belmont Stakes next Saturday at Belmont Park. Big Brown is going for the Triple Crown, but Rose will be a triple threat.
Rose picked up the mount on Big Brown when he made his debut Sept. 3 at Saratoga after Edgar Prado, who was scheduled to ride Big Brown, was injured two days earlier. Big Brown won by 11 1/4 lengths, though Rose knew he was just pinch-hitting that day.
"The competition is so good at Saratoga," Rose, who is based at Delaware Park, said Saturday morning en route to Baltimore-Washington International Airport, where he was to catch a flight to Cleveland to ride in the Ohio Derby on Saturday afternoon. "They said to stay with the field before you start to widen. At Saratoga, that's usually not an issue, because there's so many good horses around you. But we found out why they said that to me. He's very, very talented."
Since then, Big Brown has gone on to win an allowance race, the Florida Derby, the Kentucky Derby, and the Preakness Stakes, all with Kent Desormeaux. Rose rode against Big Brown in the 1 3/16-mile Preakness on Icabad Crane, who finished third, 5 3/4 lengths behind Big Brown. Icabad Crane will come back for a rematch in the 1 1/2-mile Belmont.
"He got stopped at the quarter pole," Rose said of Icabad Crane. "To get stopped the way he did and come back on and finish, it was an excellent race. The more distance for him, the better. A lot of horses in the Belmont don't want to go that far. You weed them out by the top of the stretch.
"Hopefully we won't have the kind of problems we did in the Preakness. To get stopped and pick right up is difficult to do. But he's a tough little horse. He's very relaxed, very laid back."
Icabad Crane, trained by Graham Motion, was scheduled to have his final work for the Belmont on Monday at the Fair Hill training center in Maryland.
Rose knows what it takes to win the Belmont. He did it three years ago with Afleet Alex, who was third in the Derby, then overcame a bad stumble after being interfered with by Scrappy T to prevail in the Preakness. In the Belmont, Afleet Alex romped by seven lengths.
"He was much the best in there," Rose said. "It was a lot nicer than clipping heels at the Preakness. I just had to sit on him to the quarter pole. By the quarter pole, the ones who couldn't get the distance were out of the way.
"I actually think the Belmont is the easiest of the Triple Crown races to ride. Everybody makes a big deal about the mile and a half. But it's easy to ride. You just want to keep your horse relaxed early, just sit on him, and find a spot. Saving ground is a big key at Belmont. You don't want to lose ground."
Big Brown gets new sutures, may breeze Tuesday
Big Brown galloped 1 1/2 miles over Belmont Park's main track a couple of hours after hoof specialist Ian McKinlay replaced the stainless steel sutures in the quarter crack on the colt's left front foot. McKinlay said that it was just a routine change and it helped tighten things up around the quarter crack.
"It's doing great," McKinlay said. "They say he's traveling beautiful. That's all we can ask for."
It was the fourth straight morning Big Brown galloped after missing three days of training due to the quarter crack and then jogging on Tuesday.
"Best day he's galloped since he's been here," trainer Richard Dutrow Jr. said.
McKinlay, who was not expected to look at Big Brown on Sunday, is likely to put an acrylic patch over the quarter crack on Monday. Dutrow said he would breeze Big Brown either Monday or Tuesday, but seemed to be leaning toward Tuesday.
"If I do it Monday I'll get a little bit better breeze in him; if I do it Tuesday it'll be all basic, basic stuff, so I'll most likely do it Tuesday," said Dutrow, noting it would be a five-furlong move. "As long as the track and the weather are good."
The rain that made Belmont's main track sloppy for the races held off Saturday morning during Big Brown's training session. He went to the track following the renovation break. After coming through the paddock tunnel, Big Brown stood at the finish line while he watched a bunch of horses go by on a busy morning.
After about five minutes, Big Brown broke off into his gallop and definitely seemed strong as exercise rider Michelle Nevin kept a tight hold of her reins.
"He really trained good this morning," Dutrow said. "He took a hold of Michelle. He's ready to do what we want him to do."
Dutrow said he is very happy with the condition of Belmont Park's main track. He said he met with New York Racing Association president Charles Hayward and racing secretary P.J. Campo last week after Big Brown developed his quarter crack. Dutrow, who on May 23 had a horse run seven furlongs in 1:20.70 - just 0.53 of a second off the track record - said he asked if it was possible to make the track less hard.
"I didn't tell them what to do, I just suggested maybe we could use a little more cushion on the track if it's possible," Dutrow said. "It's only gonna help our horse get there the right way. They seemed to agree with us 100 percent. The track the way it is now, I wish it was like this every day until Belmont closed down for good because it was excellent this morning."
John Passero, NYRA's director of racing surfaces, said that the track has about another quarter-inch of cushion because he has graded the track less and harrowed it more in the last week.
"Instead of grading it every day or every other day, we made sure it was every third day," Passero said. "It's a natural process. I never added more cushion, I just let the cushion fall down naturally."
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Triple Crown | Posted 5/31/2008, 5:56 pm
Rose knows Big Brown - and the Belmont
By JAY PRIVMAN
As the only jockey to have ridden Big Brown, attempted to beat him, and won the Belmont Stakes, Jeremy Rose is in a unique position heading into the 140th Belmont Stakes next Saturday at Belmont Park. Big Brown is going for the Triple Crown, but Rose will be a triple threat.
Rose picked up the mount on Big Brown when he made his debut Sept. 3 at Saratoga after Edgar Prado, who was scheduled to ride Big Brown, was injured two days earlier. Big Brown won by 11 1/4 lengths, though Rose knew he was just pinch-hitting that day.
"The competition is so good at Saratoga," Rose, who is based at Delaware Park, said Saturday morning en route to Baltimore-Washington International Airport, where he was to catch a flight to Cleveland to ride in the Ohio Derby on Saturday afternoon. "They said to stay with the field before you start to widen. At Saratoga, that's usually not an issue, because there's so many good horses around you. But we found out why they said that to me. He's very, very talented."
Since then, Big Brown has gone on to win an allowance race, the Florida Derby, the Kentucky Derby, and the Preakness Stakes, all with Kent Desormeaux. Rose rode against Big Brown in the 1 3/16-mile Preakness on Icabad Crane, who finished third, 5 3/4 lengths behind Big Brown. Icabad Crane will come back for a rematch in the 1 1/2-mile Belmont.
"He got stopped at the quarter pole," Rose said of Icabad Crane. "To get stopped the way he did and come back on and finish, it was an excellent race. The more distance for him, the better. A lot of horses in the Belmont don't want to go that far. You weed them out by the top of the stretch.
"Hopefully we won't have the kind of problems we did in the Preakness. To get stopped and pick right up is difficult to do. But he's a tough little horse. He's very relaxed, very laid back."
Icabad Crane, trained by Graham Motion, was scheduled to have his final work for the Belmont on Monday at the Fair Hill training center in Maryland.
Rose knows what it takes to win the Belmont. He did it three years ago with Afleet Alex, who was third in the Derby, then overcame a bad stumble after being interfered with by Scrappy T to prevail in the Preakness. In the Belmont, Afleet Alex romped by seven lengths.
"He was much the best in there," Rose said. "It was a lot nicer than clipping heels at the Preakness. I just had to sit on him to the quarter pole. By the quarter pole, the ones who couldn't get the distance were out of the way.
"I actually think the Belmont is the easiest of the Triple Crown races to ride. Everybody makes a big deal about the mile and a half. But it's easy to ride. You just want to keep your horse relaxed early, just sit on him, and find a spot. Saving ground is a big key at Belmont. You don't want to lose ground."
Big Brown gets new sutures, may breeze Tuesday
Big Brown galloped 1 1/2 miles over Belmont Park's main track a couple of hours after hoof specialist Ian McKinlay replaced the stainless steel sutures in the quarter crack on the colt's left front foot. McKinlay said that it was just a routine change and it helped tighten things up around the quarter crack.
"It's doing great," McKinlay said. "They say he's traveling beautiful. That's all we can ask for."
It was the fourth straight morning Big Brown galloped after missing three days of training due to the quarter crack and then jogging on Tuesday.
"Best day he's galloped since he's been here," trainer Richard Dutrow Jr. said.
McKinlay, who was not expected to look at Big Brown on Sunday, is likely to put an acrylic patch over the quarter crack on Monday. Dutrow said he would breeze Big Brown either Monday or Tuesday, but seemed to be leaning toward Tuesday.
"If I do it Monday I'll get a little bit better breeze in him; if I do it Tuesday it'll be all basic, basic stuff, so I'll most likely do it Tuesday," said Dutrow, noting it would be a five-furlong move. "As long as the track and the weather are good."
The rain that made Belmont's main track sloppy for the races held off Saturday morning during Big Brown's training session. He went to the track following the renovation break. After coming through the paddock tunnel, Big Brown stood at the finish line while he watched a bunch of horses go by on a busy morning.
After about five minutes, Big Brown broke off into his gallop and definitely seemed strong as exercise rider Michelle Nevin kept a tight hold of her reins.
"He really trained good this morning," Dutrow said. "He took a hold of Michelle. He's ready to do what we want him to do."
Dutrow said he is very happy with the condition of Belmont Park's main track. He said he met with New York Racing Association president Charles Hayward and racing secretary P.J. Campo last week after Big Brown developed his quarter crack. Dutrow, who on May 23 had a horse run seven furlongs in 1:20.70 - just 0.53 of a second off the track record - said he asked if it was possible to make the track less hard.
"I didn't tell them what to do, I just suggested maybe we could use a little more cushion on the track if it's possible," Dutrow said. "It's only gonna help our horse get there the right way. They seemed to agree with us 100 percent. The track the way it is now, I wish it was like this every day until Belmont closed down for good because it was excellent this morning."
John Passero, NYRA's director of racing surfaces, said that the track has about another quarter-inch of cushion because he has graded the track less and harrowed it more in the last week.
"Instead of grading it every day or every other day, we made sure it was every third day," Passero said. "It's a natural process. I never added more cushion, I just let the cushion fall down naturally."
Belmont Day an exotic feast
By DAVE LITFIN
It's interesting to note the paucity of exotic wagering options from back in the day.
According to the official track program for Secretariat's Belmont, there was a daily double on the first two races; and there was a new-fangled bet called the "exacta" offered on the fourth, sixth, and eighth races. That was it.
Things were essentially the same for Affirmed/Alydar five years later, with one new wrinkle: one daily double; three exactas; and a "triple" (now known as the trifecta) on the ninth and final race.
A quarter-century later, next Saturday's noon-to-dusk marathon will offer 13 races and 58 - that's 58 - exotic pools: exactas and trifectas every race; 11 pick threes; 12 daily doubles; three pick fours; two superfectas; two quinellas; one pick six; and one grand slam.
Though the fields obviously aren't etched in stone a week out, post times and the wagering menu for the six Grade 1 or Grade 2 stakes look like this:
True North(Race 6, 3:08 p.m.; WPS, EX, TRI, P3, DD, P6): A $1 million guaranteed pick-six pool may kick off with a short field of older sprinters. Among 21 nominations, only Abraaj, Benny the Bull, and Thor's Echo were considered definite. Benny the Bull, arguably the best sprinter currently in training, will be off a 10-week layoff after winning the Dubai Golden Shaheen for Big Brown's people; Thor's Echo, the 2006 sprint champion, has also been idle since the Golden Shaheen - last year's running.
Just a Game (Race 7, 3:46 p.m.; WPS, EX, TRI, P3, DD, GS): If you love someone in the Manhattan, here's your chance to improve on the win price by tabbing in-the-money finishers in the Just a Game, Woody Stephens, and Acorn. Newly upgraded to Grade 1 status, the one-mile Just a Game is attracting a salty set of fillies and mares. The three fastest look to be Vacare, Lady of Venice, and Criminologist, but Bayou's Lassie, Bit of Whimsy, Sharp Susan, Spenditallbaby, and Ventura aren't far behind.
Woody Stephens (Race 8, 4:25op.m.; WPS, EX, TRI, P3, P4, DD): This seven-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds begins a pick four with a $1 million guaranteed pool and is likely to get last year's Hopeful exacta of Majestic Warrior and Ready's Image; Hirsch Jacobs runner-up Silver Edition; Fatal Bullet (3 for 3 this year at Woodbine); Groomedforvictory (winner of an overnight stakes for New York-breds); and J Be K, the Bay Shore winner and Withers runner-up, who looms the one to catch.
Acorn (Race 9, 5:04 p.m.; WPS, EX, TRI, P3, DD): Indian Blessing's championship juvenile campaign included a score in Belmont's one-mile Frizette where she rated just off an early pacesetter and took over around the turn. A similar scenario may play out here, depending on what happens with Dance Gal Dance and Sherine, who are questionable. Dance Gal Dance has led early in all five of her races, and Sherine has been the early leader in her last eight starts, including a victory in the Comely Stakes. Also eyeing this prestigious race, and hoping the pace is hot, are the stalkers Game Face, winner of the Old Hat and La Troienne; and Zaftig, a big-figure winner of the Nassau County during Belmont's opening week.
Manhattan (Race 10, 5:44 p.m.; WPS, EX, TRI, P3, P4, DD): One of two double-barreled races (along with the Belmont) for pick-four players, because it is leg 3 of the $1 million pool on races 8-9-10-11, and also starts a late (and we mean late) pick four on 10-11-12-13, the outcome of which will not be known until nearly 8 p.m. Better Talk Now nailed eventual Eclipse champion English Channel by a head last year, and the 9-year-old has been training steadily at Fair Hill since failing to fire in the Dubai Sheema Classic. He'll have a tough time repeating against a prospective lineup that should include Einstein, a two-time Grade 1 winner this year; Out of Control, a close second to Einstein in the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic; and Pays to Dream, who earned the season's top grass Beyer Speed Figure (108) while steamrolling his rivals in the Dixie three weeks ago.
Belmont Stakes (RACE 11, 6:25 p.m.; WPS, EX, TRI, P3, DD, SUPER): Nowadays, an exacta box of Big Brown and Casino Drive isn't looking quite so "exotic," but even so, a ton of money - two $1 million guaranteed pools just for starters - will be riding on the outcome.
Even if you don't get the desired result, take heart: There's a late double afterward.
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Belmont Day an exotic feast
By DAVE LITFIN
It's interesting to note the paucity of exotic wagering options from back in the day.
According to the official track program for Secretariat's Belmont, there was a daily double on the first two races; and there was a new-fangled bet called the "exacta" offered on the fourth, sixth, and eighth races. That was it.
Things were essentially the same for Affirmed/Alydar five years later, with one new wrinkle: one daily double; three exactas; and a "triple" (now known as the trifecta) on the ninth and final race.
A quarter-century later, next Saturday's noon-to-dusk marathon will offer 13 races and 58 - that's 58 - exotic pools: exactas and trifectas every race; 11 pick threes; 12 daily doubles; three pick fours; two superfectas; two quinellas; one pick six; and one grand slam.
Though the fields obviously aren't etched in stone a week out, post times and the wagering menu for the six Grade 1 or Grade 2 stakes look like this:
True North(Race 6, 3:08 p.m.; WPS, EX, TRI, P3, DD, P6): A $1 million guaranteed pick-six pool may kick off with a short field of older sprinters. Among 21 nominations, only Abraaj, Benny the Bull, and Thor's Echo were considered definite. Benny the Bull, arguably the best sprinter currently in training, will be off a 10-week layoff after winning the Dubai Golden Shaheen for Big Brown's people; Thor's Echo, the 2006 sprint champion, has also been idle since the Golden Shaheen - last year's running.
Just a Game (Race 7, 3:46 p.m.; WPS, EX, TRI, P3, DD, GS): If you love someone in the Manhattan, here's your chance to improve on the win price by tabbing in-the-money finishers in the Just a Game, Woody Stephens, and Acorn. Newly upgraded to Grade 1 status, the one-mile Just a Game is attracting a salty set of fillies and mares. The three fastest look to be Vacare, Lady of Venice, and Criminologist, but Bayou's Lassie, Bit of Whimsy, Sharp Susan, Spenditallbaby, and Ventura aren't far behind.
Woody Stephens (Race 8, 4:25op.m.; WPS, EX, TRI, P3, P4, DD): This seven-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds begins a pick four with a $1 million guaranteed pool and is likely to get last year's Hopeful exacta of Majestic Warrior and Ready's Image; Hirsch Jacobs runner-up Silver Edition; Fatal Bullet (3 for 3 this year at Woodbine); Groomedforvictory (winner of an overnight stakes for New York-breds); and J Be K, the Bay Shore winner and Withers runner-up, who looms the one to catch.
Acorn (Race 9, 5:04 p.m.; WPS, EX, TRI, P3, DD): Indian Blessing's championship juvenile campaign included a score in Belmont's one-mile Frizette where she rated just off an early pacesetter and took over around the turn. A similar scenario may play out here, depending on what happens with Dance Gal Dance and Sherine, who are questionable. Dance Gal Dance has led early in all five of her races, and Sherine has been the early leader in her last eight starts, including a victory in the Comely Stakes. Also eyeing this prestigious race, and hoping the pace is hot, are the stalkers Game Face, winner of the Old Hat and La Troienne; and Zaftig, a big-figure winner of the Nassau County during Belmont's opening week.
Manhattan (Race 10, 5:44 p.m.; WPS, EX, TRI, P3, P4, DD): One of two double-barreled races (along with the Belmont) for pick-four players, because it is leg 3 of the $1 million pool on races 8-9-10-11, and also starts a late (and we mean late) pick four on 10-11-12-13, the outcome of which will not be known until nearly 8 p.m. Better Talk Now nailed eventual Eclipse champion English Channel by a head last year, and the 9-year-old has been training steadily at Fair Hill since failing to fire in the Dubai Sheema Classic. He'll have a tough time repeating against a prospective lineup that should include Einstein, a two-time Grade 1 winner this year; Out of Control, a close second to Einstein in the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic; and Pays to Dream, who earned the season's top grass Beyer Speed Figure (108) while steamrolling his rivals in the Dixie three weeks ago.
Belmont Stakes (RACE 11, 6:25 p.m.; WPS, EX, TRI, P3, DD, SUPER): Nowadays, an exacta box of Big Brown and Casino Drive isn't looking quite so "exotic," but even so, a ton of money - two $1 million guaranteed pools just for starters - will be riding on the outcome.
Even if you don't get the desired result, take heart: There's a late double afterward.
Keeping an eye on the foot
By JAY PRIVMAN
ELMONT, N.Y. - Big Brown, who has the most examined foot since Carrie Bradshaw first put on a pair of Manolo Blahniks, will not have an acrylic patch put on his injured quarter crack until Friday, the day before he is to go for the Triple Crown in the 140th Belmont Stakes, both trainer Rick Dutrow and Ian McKinlay, the foot specialist who has been treating Big Brown, said Monday at Belmont Park.
The immediate upshot was twofold. Both Dutrow and McKinlay insisted that this development was positive, that Big Brown, winner of the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, was healing well on his own and did not need earlier intervention. But it also meant that Big Brown was to have his final workout for the Belmont on Tuesday morning without having the crack patched beforehand, a change from the itinerary first laid out last week by Dutrow and McKinlay.
Dutrow basically has been deferring all care of the injured left front foot to McKinlay. The only time Dutrow overruled McKinlay was on whether to put the patch on Friday afternoon or Saturday morning. McKinlay wanted to wait until the morning of the Belmont, but Dutrow thought that was cutting it too fine and preferred Friday.
But as for waiting until later in the week to apply the patch, McKinlay said, "We're dealing with something designed to heal itself.
"Some call it nature. I call it God."
McKinlay added: "There's a slight, slight, slight chance that something's in there. I don't think there is. There's no seepage at all. But when you apply the methacrylic patch, a lot of heat is generated. You could get something 72 hours later."
McKinlay said the remote chance of developing a problem on Friday if a patch was applied Tuesday was not worth risking.
"If I owned the horse, I'd treat him the same way," McKinlay said.
"The longer you wait, the better for him," Dutrow said.
Both Dutrow and McKinlay said working without the patch was not an issue.
"I'm as confident as can be working without the patch," Dutrow said. "I like the idea of what we're doing. When Ian gets involved, I've never seen things go the other way."
Big Brown, who is seeking to become the 12th Triple Crown winner, and first in 30 years, looked strong during his routine gallop at Belmont Park on Monday morning. He came on the track shortly before 9 a.m., then stood calmly near the finish line for 10 minutes with exercise rider Michelle Nevin aboard. He then jogged to the clubhouse turn, where he began to pick up the pace and galloped 1 1/4 miles, with Nevin doubled over clutching the reins to keep Big Brown from doing too much.
"He's ready to do something," Dutrow said. "It's time."
Big Brown wore rubber bell boots to protect his front hooves, as he has done since before the Derby. With the exception of the inside of his left front foot, he looked in exceptional condition, as though his victories in the Derby and Preakness took little out of him.
Asked if he still believed the Belmont was "a foregone conclusion," as he opined last week, Dutrow answered with an emphatic, "Yes."
Eight others are likely to try and say no. On Monday, it appeared a field of nine would be entered Wednesday morning in the Belmont, at 1 1/2 miles the longest of the Triple Crown races. Posts will be determined Wednesday morning in a traditional double-blind draw.
In addition to Big Brown, who will be ridden by Kent Desormeaux, the Belmont field is expected to include Anak Nakal (Julien Leparoux the rider), Casino Drive (Edgar Prado), Da' Tara (Alan Garcia), Denis of Cork (Robby Albarado), Icabad Crane (Jeremy Rose), Macho Again (Garrett Gomez), Ready's Echo (John Velazquez), and Tale of Ekati (Eibar Coa).
Longshots Spark Candle and Tomcito were removed from Belmont consideration by their connections Sunday. Spark Candle, a stablemate of Casino Drive, was entered in Friday's Grade 3, $100,000 Hill Prince Stakes at one mile on turf at Belmont Park. Tomcito had some congestion Sunday morning, according to his trainer, Dante Zanelli Jr.
Velazquez moved to Ready's Echo after being released Monday from a commitment he had made earlier to ride Anak Nakal. Velazquez and his agent, former riding great Angel Cordero Jr., agreed to ride Anak Nakal before knowing Ready's Echo would run. Ready's Echo is trained by Todd Pletcher, for whom Velazquez rides first call. Cordero asked Nick Zito, the trainer of Anak Nakal, if he could get off the colt. Zito and Anak Nakal's owner, Kassem Masri, acquiesced.
"Mr. Masri and I believe in good karma," Zito said Monday.
Zito got Leparoux to ride Anak Nakal. Leparoux has ridden Anak Nakal twice, including to a victory in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes last fall at Churchill Downs.
Zito also announced that Garcia would be on Da' Tara.
Anak Nakal, seventh last time out in the Derby, completed his serious preparation for the Belmont with a half-mile workout in 49.67 seconds on the Saratoga training track Monday morning. Both he and Da' Tara are scheduled to be sent by van from Saratoga to Belmont Park on Wednesday, Zito said.
At Churchill Downs on Monday, Denis of Cork worked a half-mile in 48.60 seconds for trainer David Carroll.
With Albarado up, Denis of Cork galloped out five furlongs in 1:01.60 in what Carroll had planned as a maintenance work. Denis of Cork had breezed five furlongs on the two previous Mondays at Churchill.
The latest work, said Carroll, was "just something nice to stretch his legs."
"I was very, very happy with what I saw today," Carroll said. "Robby was very careful not to go too fast early. It was just a beautiful thing to watch. We're excited."
In his last start, Denis of Cork closed strongly to finish third in the Derby. Denis of Cork figures to be the third wagering choice in the Belmont behind a pair of unbeatens, Big Brown and Casino Drive.
Both Denis of Cork and Macho Again, second last time out in the Preakness, are scheduled to fly to New York from Kentucky on Wednesday.
Icabad Crane, third in the Preakness in his last start, worked a half-mile in 48.60 seconds Monday at the Fair Hill training center in Maryland for trainer Graham Motion.
On Sunday, Tale of Ekati, fourth last time out in the Derby, worked six furlongs in 1:11.99 over a muddy Belmont main track for trainer Barclay Tagg.
Ready's Echo, working in company with The Roundhouse, went five furlongs in 1:01.90 over a fast Belmont training track Sunday.
The weather was clear and comfortable here Monday morning, then warmed up to 80 degrees in the afternoon. The forecast for midweek was for unsettled weather, according to Weather.com. There is a 40 percent chance of thunderstorms on Wednesday, and a 30 percent chance of isolated showers on Thursday and Friday. There is no rain in the forecast for Saturday, when the high temperature is predicted to reach 79 degrees.
- additional reporting by David Grening and Marty McGee
0
Keeping an eye on the foot
By JAY PRIVMAN
ELMONT, N.Y. - Big Brown, who has the most examined foot since Carrie Bradshaw first put on a pair of Manolo Blahniks, will not have an acrylic patch put on his injured quarter crack until Friday, the day before he is to go for the Triple Crown in the 140th Belmont Stakes, both trainer Rick Dutrow and Ian McKinlay, the foot specialist who has been treating Big Brown, said Monday at Belmont Park.
The immediate upshot was twofold. Both Dutrow and McKinlay insisted that this development was positive, that Big Brown, winner of the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, was healing well on his own and did not need earlier intervention. But it also meant that Big Brown was to have his final workout for the Belmont on Tuesday morning without having the crack patched beforehand, a change from the itinerary first laid out last week by Dutrow and McKinlay.
Dutrow basically has been deferring all care of the injured left front foot to McKinlay. The only time Dutrow overruled McKinlay was on whether to put the patch on Friday afternoon or Saturday morning. McKinlay wanted to wait until the morning of the Belmont, but Dutrow thought that was cutting it too fine and preferred Friday.
But as for waiting until later in the week to apply the patch, McKinlay said, "We're dealing with something designed to heal itself.
"Some call it nature. I call it God."
McKinlay added: "There's a slight, slight, slight chance that something's in there. I don't think there is. There's no seepage at all. But when you apply the methacrylic patch, a lot of heat is generated. You could get something 72 hours later."
McKinlay said the remote chance of developing a problem on Friday if a patch was applied Tuesday was not worth risking.
"If I owned the horse, I'd treat him the same way," McKinlay said.
"The longer you wait, the better for him," Dutrow said.
Both Dutrow and McKinlay said working without the patch was not an issue.
"I'm as confident as can be working without the patch," Dutrow said. "I like the idea of what we're doing. When Ian gets involved, I've never seen things go the other way."
Big Brown, who is seeking to become the 12th Triple Crown winner, and first in 30 years, looked strong during his routine gallop at Belmont Park on Monday morning. He came on the track shortly before 9 a.m., then stood calmly near the finish line for 10 minutes with exercise rider Michelle Nevin aboard. He then jogged to the clubhouse turn, where he began to pick up the pace and galloped 1 1/4 miles, with Nevin doubled over clutching the reins to keep Big Brown from doing too much.
"He's ready to do something," Dutrow said. "It's time."
Big Brown wore rubber bell boots to protect his front hooves, as he has done since before the Derby. With the exception of the inside of his left front foot, he looked in exceptional condition, as though his victories in the Derby and Preakness took little out of him.
Asked if he still believed the Belmont was "a foregone conclusion," as he opined last week, Dutrow answered with an emphatic, "Yes."
Eight others are likely to try and say no. On Monday, it appeared a field of nine would be entered Wednesday morning in the Belmont, at 1 1/2 miles the longest of the Triple Crown races. Posts will be determined Wednesday morning in a traditional double-blind draw.
In addition to Big Brown, who will be ridden by Kent Desormeaux, the Belmont field is expected to include Anak Nakal (Julien Leparoux the rider), Casino Drive (Edgar Prado), Da' Tara (Alan Garcia), Denis of Cork (Robby Albarado), Icabad Crane (Jeremy Rose), Macho Again (Garrett Gomez), Ready's Echo (John Velazquez), and Tale of Ekati (Eibar Coa).
Longshots Spark Candle and Tomcito were removed from Belmont consideration by their connections Sunday. Spark Candle, a stablemate of Casino Drive, was entered in Friday's Grade 3, $100,000 Hill Prince Stakes at one mile on turf at Belmont Park. Tomcito had some congestion Sunday morning, according to his trainer, Dante Zanelli Jr.
Velazquez moved to Ready's Echo after being released Monday from a commitment he had made earlier to ride Anak Nakal. Velazquez and his agent, former riding great Angel Cordero Jr., agreed to ride Anak Nakal before knowing Ready's Echo would run. Ready's Echo is trained by Todd Pletcher, for whom Velazquez rides first call. Cordero asked Nick Zito, the trainer of Anak Nakal, if he could get off the colt. Zito and Anak Nakal's owner, Kassem Masri, acquiesced.
"Mr. Masri and I believe in good karma," Zito said Monday.
Zito got Leparoux to ride Anak Nakal. Leparoux has ridden Anak Nakal twice, including to a victory in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes last fall at Churchill Downs.
Zito also announced that Garcia would be on Da' Tara.
Anak Nakal, seventh last time out in the Derby, completed his serious preparation for the Belmont with a half-mile workout in 49.67 seconds on the Saratoga training track Monday morning. Both he and Da' Tara are scheduled to be sent by van from Saratoga to Belmont Park on Wednesday, Zito said.
At Churchill Downs on Monday, Denis of Cork worked a half-mile in 48.60 seconds for trainer David Carroll.
With Albarado up, Denis of Cork galloped out five furlongs in 1:01.60 in what Carroll had planned as a maintenance work. Denis of Cork had breezed five furlongs on the two previous Mondays at Churchill.
The latest work, said Carroll, was "just something nice to stretch his legs."
"I was very, very happy with what I saw today," Carroll said. "Robby was very careful not to go too fast early. It was just a beautiful thing to watch. We're excited."
In his last start, Denis of Cork closed strongly to finish third in the Derby. Denis of Cork figures to be the third wagering choice in the Belmont behind a pair of unbeatens, Big Brown and Casino Drive.
Both Denis of Cork and Macho Again, second last time out in the Preakness, are scheduled to fly to New York from Kentucky on Wednesday.
Icabad Crane, third in the Preakness in his last start, worked a half-mile in 48.60 seconds Monday at the Fair Hill training center in Maryland for trainer Graham Motion.
On Sunday, Tale of Ekati, fourth last time out in the Derby, worked six furlongs in 1:11.99 over a muddy Belmont main track for trainer Barclay Tagg.
Ready's Echo, working in company with The Roundhouse, went five furlongs in 1:01.90 over a fast Belmont training track Sunday.
The weather was clear and comfortable here Monday morning, then warmed up to 80 degrees in the afternoon. The forecast for midweek was for unsettled weather, according to Weather.com. There is a 40 percent chance of thunderstorms on Wednesday, and a 30 percent chance of isolated showers on Thursday and Friday. There is no rain in the forecast for Saturday, when the high temperature is predicted to reach 79 degrees.
- additional reporting by David Grening and Marty McGee
Big Brown was only running fast enough to win, not break. Now that he only needs 1 more, he'll win by 15 lengths and go all out. It's like Mike Tyson fighting garbage, win, win, win. Worst crop of horses EVER to run for the triple crown. PATHETIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!
0
Big Brown was only running fast enough to win, not break. Now that he only needs 1 more, he'll win by 15 lengths and go all out. It's like Mike Tyson fighting garbage, win, win, win. Worst crop of horses EVER to run for the triple crown. PATHETIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Casino Drive's trainer Japan's best
By DAVID GRENING
ELMONT, N.Y. - Casino Drive has more than just the pedigree to be a legitimate Belmont Stakes contender. In Kazuo Fujisawa, Casino Drive has the top trainer in Japan calling the shots.
Fujisawa, 56, has been Japan's leading trainer in terms of wins 11 times since 1993, including last year, when he won 48 races. Fujisawa learned how to train horses by working for the highly respected English trainer Gavin Pritchard-Gordon in Newmarket. Fujisawa was an assistant trainer in Japan for 10 years before going out on his own in 1988.
Since then, Fujisawa has trained several champions, including three who became Japan's Horse of the Year: Taiki Shuttle (1998), Symboli Kris K (2002 and 2003), and Zenno Rob Roy (2004). In 2006, Fujisawa won the Grade 1 CashCall Futurity at Hollywood Park with Dance in the Mood.
In Saturday's Belmont Stakes, Casino Drive will attempt to thwart Big Brown's Triple Crown bid. Kent Desormeaux, the regular rider of Big Brown and aboard Casino Drive in the Peter Pan, is quite familiar with Fujisawa. Desormeaux rode for Fujisawa for five years (2001-05) when he spent part of his time racing in Japan.
"For me, he's kind of like a Bill Mott or a Richard Mandella," said Desormeaux, referring to two Hall of Fame trainers. "Everyone there respects him immensely.
"He's just a fun guy always cracking jokes," Desormeaux added. "He really enjoys his job, I do know that. He takes a lot of pride in being able to teach a horse how to be a racehorse. He's just very good at what he does. His specialty is taking horses and turning them into champions."
When Desormeaux was in Japan, he would not only ride for Fujisawa in the afternoon, but three mornings a week he would gallop horses.
"He's never once asked me to do anything but be patient on his horses; that's the only thing he ever told me 'I just want a patient jockey, that's all,' " Desormeaux said. "So he leaves me to [be] the tactician; breaking down races and where we think we're going to fit in."
The Japan Racing Association describes Fujisawa as one of the pioneers in the internationalization of Japanese horse racing. Nobutaka Tada, who serves as the racing manager for Casino Drive's owner Hidetoshi Yamamoto as well as Fujisawa, said Fujisawa has instituted many changes in the way Japanese horsemen train.
"Now everybody follows him," Tada said.
As examples, Tada cites the fact that Fujisawa walks his horses for long periods of time before and after their morning training. Tada said that is done to help with the "circulation, muscles, tendons. It's good for everything."
While it is commonplace in North America for trainers to send their horses to the track in sets of five or six, such wasn't the case in Japan until Fujisawa came along, Tada said. Other methods Fujisawa is given credit for in Japan include feeding all his horses at the same time, no whipping in the morning, and no hard works the week of racing.
Of course, all plans are subject to deviation. Three days before Casino Drive won the Peter Pan Stakes by 5 3/4 lengths, Casino Drive did have a strong work, drilling five furlongs in 59.94 seconds. But in the weeks leading up to the Belmont, Casino Drive has simply galloped and is unlikely to have a published work leading up to the race.
Tada explained that prior to the Peter Pan, Casino Drive had not raced in 11 weeks and had an inordinate amount of shipping. Now, he will have had four weeks between races and has been stabled in the same spot for a month.
In Japan, Fujisawa trains approximately 72 horses - the maximum allowed - based at three different facilities. About four years ago, he began training for Yamamoto.
Yamamoto founded Fields Corp., a Japanese-based company whose principal activities are to develop, manufacture, and sell amusement/game machines as well as slot machines. The group is also involved in operating gyms, selling jewelry, and real estate.
According to Tada, Yamamoto's goal in racing is to have an international presence. Tada said the race Yamamoto covets most is the Arc de Triomphe in France.
"He's 52, his company is doing well, he made a fortune, he used to like the horses and horse racing, and he felt it was the time to go in," Tada said. "He's just a new boy in the industry."
Four years ago, Tada began attending auctions in America on behalf of Yamamoto. One of the first horses he bought for him was a son of Storm Cat and Eliza who sold for only $150,000 in 2004. The horse has won 4 of 29 starts and earned $728,607.
In 2006, at the Keeneland September yearling sale, Tada purchased a son of Mineshaft for $950,000. The dam was Better Than Honour, who had thrown 2006 Belmont Stakes winner Jazil. Another of Better Than Honour's progeny, Rags to Riches, was a winless maiden at the time. She would go on to win the Belmont last June.
Following the sale in September, Casino Drive was sent to Northern Farm in Hokkaido, Japan, to be trained as a racehorse. He came to the JRA Miho Training Center in May and was nearly ready to run in July, but stumbled one morning and cut his knees.
Casino Drive debuted Feb. 23 at Kyoto, where he won a 1 1/8-mile race by 11 1/2 lengths, in front all the way.
It was after that maiden win that Casino Drive was pointed for the Belmont Stakes. To get there, however, has not been easy.
Casino Drive was taken out of the JRA Training Center and sent to Yamamoto Training Center, a private facility that is not affiliated with the owner despite having the same name. It was a good thing they made that move because on March 15 there was an outbreak of influenza at Miho. Had Casino Drive stayed there he would not have been able to come to this country until May 15, five days after the Peter Pan.
Casino Drive was sent back to Miho in early April, but he was kept isolated from the other horses. He did a one-week quarantine period at Niigata Racetrack and one night at another training center near the airport before shipping to New York on April 28.
After two days of quarantine at Aqueduct, Casino Drive arrived at Belmont on April 30. Ten days later, he romped in the Peter Pan.
"That's why we were so impressed what he has done in the Peter Pan," Tada said. "He had so much to overcome. We knew he was ready to run; we didn't expect such a race. We hoped he'd just get back to the barn safely.''
Though he came from off the pace in the Peter Pan, Casino Drive could very much be forwardly placed in the Belmont.
"You can't see it in Peter Pan, but he has so much speed," Tada said. "The great thing about him is he can control that. He can wait to show his speed and he's been trained and has been taught to control his speed.''
Taught by one of Japan's very best.
0
Casino Drive's trainer Japan's best
By DAVID GRENING
ELMONT, N.Y. - Casino Drive has more than just the pedigree to be a legitimate Belmont Stakes contender. In Kazuo Fujisawa, Casino Drive has the top trainer in Japan calling the shots.
Fujisawa, 56, has been Japan's leading trainer in terms of wins 11 times since 1993, including last year, when he won 48 races. Fujisawa learned how to train horses by working for the highly respected English trainer Gavin Pritchard-Gordon in Newmarket. Fujisawa was an assistant trainer in Japan for 10 years before going out on his own in 1988.
Since then, Fujisawa has trained several champions, including three who became Japan's Horse of the Year: Taiki Shuttle (1998), Symboli Kris K (2002 and 2003), and Zenno Rob Roy (2004). In 2006, Fujisawa won the Grade 1 CashCall Futurity at Hollywood Park with Dance in the Mood.
In Saturday's Belmont Stakes, Casino Drive will attempt to thwart Big Brown's Triple Crown bid. Kent Desormeaux, the regular rider of Big Brown and aboard Casino Drive in the Peter Pan, is quite familiar with Fujisawa. Desormeaux rode for Fujisawa for five years (2001-05) when he spent part of his time racing in Japan.
"For me, he's kind of like a Bill Mott or a Richard Mandella," said Desormeaux, referring to two Hall of Fame trainers. "Everyone there respects him immensely.
"He's just a fun guy always cracking jokes," Desormeaux added. "He really enjoys his job, I do know that. He takes a lot of pride in being able to teach a horse how to be a racehorse. He's just very good at what he does. His specialty is taking horses and turning them into champions."
When Desormeaux was in Japan, he would not only ride for Fujisawa in the afternoon, but three mornings a week he would gallop horses.
"He's never once asked me to do anything but be patient on his horses; that's the only thing he ever told me 'I just want a patient jockey, that's all,' " Desormeaux said. "So he leaves me to [be] the tactician; breaking down races and where we think we're going to fit in."
The Japan Racing Association describes Fujisawa as one of the pioneers in the internationalization of Japanese horse racing. Nobutaka Tada, who serves as the racing manager for Casino Drive's owner Hidetoshi Yamamoto as well as Fujisawa, said Fujisawa has instituted many changes in the way Japanese horsemen train.
"Now everybody follows him," Tada said.
As examples, Tada cites the fact that Fujisawa walks his horses for long periods of time before and after their morning training. Tada said that is done to help with the "circulation, muscles, tendons. It's good for everything."
While it is commonplace in North America for trainers to send their horses to the track in sets of five or six, such wasn't the case in Japan until Fujisawa came along, Tada said. Other methods Fujisawa is given credit for in Japan include feeding all his horses at the same time, no whipping in the morning, and no hard works the week of racing.
Of course, all plans are subject to deviation. Three days before Casino Drive won the Peter Pan Stakes by 5 3/4 lengths, Casino Drive did have a strong work, drilling five furlongs in 59.94 seconds. But in the weeks leading up to the Belmont, Casino Drive has simply galloped and is unlikely to have a published work leading up to the race.
Tada explained that prior to the Peter Pan, Casino Drive had not raced in 11 weeks and had an inordinate amount of shipping. Now, he will have had four weeks between races and has been stabled in the same spot for a month.
In Japan, Fujisawa trains approximately 72 horses - the maximum allowed - based at three different facilities. About four years ago, he began training for Yamamoto.
Yamamoto founded Fields Corp., a Japanese-based company whose principal activities are to develop, manufacture, and sell amusement/game machines as well as slot machines. The group is also involved in operating gyms, selling jewelry, and real estate.
According to Tada, Yamamoto's goal in racing is to have an international presence. Tada said the race Yamamoto covets most is the Arc de Triomphe in France.
"He's 52, his company is doing well, he made a fortune, he used to like the horses and horse racing, and he felt it was the time to go in," Tada said. "He's just a new boy in the industry."
Four years ago, Tada began attending auctions in America on behalf of Yamamoto. One of the first horses he bought for him was a son of Storm Cat and Eliza who sold for only $150,000 in 2004. The horse has won 4 of 29 starts and earned $728,607.
In 2006, at the Keeneland September yearling sale, Tada purchased a son of Mineshaft for $950,000. The dam was Better Than Honour, who had thrown 2006 Belmont Stakes winner Jazil. Another of Better Than Honour's progeny, Rags to Riches, was a winless maiden at the time. She would go on to win the Belmont last June.
Following the sale in September, Casino Drive was sent to Northern Farm in Hokkaido, Japan, to be trained as a racehorse. He came to the JRA Miho Training Center in May and was nearly ready to run in July, but stumbled one morning and cut his knees.
Casino Drive debuted Feb. 23 at Kyoto, where he won a 1 1/8-mile race by 11 1/2 lengths, in front all the way.
It was after that maiden win that Casino Drive was pointed for the Belmont Stakes. To get there, however, has not been easy.
Casino Drive was taken out of the JRA Training Center and sent to Yamamoto Training Center, a private facility that is not affiliated with the owner despite having the same name. It was a good thing they made that move because on March 15 there was an outbreak of influenza at Miho. Had Casino Drive stayed there he would not have been able to come to this country until May 15, five days after the Peter Pan.
Casino Drive was sent back to Miho in early April, but he was kept isolated from the other horses. He did a one-week quarantine period at Niigata Racetrack and one night at another training center near the airport before shipping to New York on April 28.
After two days of quarantine at Aqueduct, Casino Drive arrived at Belmont on April 30. Ten days later, he romped in the Peter Pan.
"That's why we were so impressed what he has done in the Peter Pan," Tada said. "He had so much to overcome. We knew he was ready to run; we didn't expect such a race. We hoped he'd just get back to the barn safely.''
Though he came from off the pace in the Peter Pan, Casino Drive could very much be forwardly placed in the Belmont.
"You can't see it in Peter Pan, but he has so much speed," Tada said. "The great thing about him is he can control that. He can wait to show his speed and he's been trained and has been taught to control his speed.''
Taught by one of Japan's very best.
Big Brown a long way from Big Red
By MIKE WATCHMAKER
NEW YORK - If Big Brown completes his sweep of the Triple Crown in Saturday's Belmont Stakes - for what it's worth, I don't think it is quite the foregone conclusion trainer Rick Dutrow seems to think it is - he will invite inevitable comparisons to the other most recent Triple Crown winners.
Let me say this right now: If Big Brown wins, I don't care what you do. Compare him with Affirmed and Seattle Slew until your eyes become blurry from staring too long at their past performances, and compare him favorably if you like. But do not, under any circumstances, lest you betray your ignorance, compare Big Brown favorably with Secretariat.
I know what you're thinking. Here's another crusty old geezer - and an admitted Secretariat-ophile, to boot - about to tell us how much better horses "back in the day" were. I know all about how frustrating this can be, as I've been there, and experienced that. It wasn't that long ago - just a couple of decades - when I had one particularly memorable conversation with Jack Wilson, the longtime head of chart callers when this paper was in the business of compiling charts. Having told Wilson my heavily considered opinion - I do have immense respect for the history of this sport - that Secretariat was the greatest racehorse ever, he told me Citation could have beaten Secretariat "pulling a wagon." I dismissed most of that bluster to the "Back in the Day Syndrome," as well as Wilson's penchant for needling, which he did just as well as he called charts. Still, I had to accept that, in his opinion, Wilson thought Citation was superior to Secretariat.
If Big Brown wins Saturday, people will notice a couple of coincidental similarities between Big Brown and Secretariat, such as both broke long Triple Crown droughts - Big Brown would be the first in the 30 years since Affirmed, while Secretariat was the first since Citation 25 years earlier - and both were/are to be retired to stud after their 3-year-old seasons. Beyond that, the only similarities between Big Brown and Secretariat are - and I say this with considerable respect and admiration for Big Brown - both had four legs, a mane, and a tail.
Yes, if Big Brown wins Saturday, he will still be undefeated, while Secretariat was not always perfect. But before he ever even started at 3, Secretariat was already a reigning Horse of the Year, an honor he would take both seasons he raced. If Big Brown loses Saturday, he might not be a Horse of any Year, depending on what Curlin does the second half of this year.
Whereas Big Brown, despite his four straight triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures, has yet to seriously threaten a track record, Secretariat made a habit of toying with them. The whole world knows that Secretariat obliterated the track record in the Belmont Stakes by 2.60 seconds with his clocking of 2:24, and set a track record of 1:59.40 in the Kentucky Derby. But he also set a Triple Crown track record when he won the Preakness in 1:53.40, a distinction that was officially denied him because of the stubbornness of Pimlico management, which stuck with a slower clocking produced by a malfunctioning timer. Secretariat also set a world record for 1 1/8 miles when he won the Marlboro Cup in 1:45.40, set a 1 1/2-mile turf course record at Belmont of 2:24.80 when he won the Man o' War, and equaled Aqueduct's then one-mile track record of 1:33.40 when he won the Gotham. Secretariat's 1 1/2-mile and 1 1/8-mile main-track records at Belmont, and his 1 1/4-mile main-track record at Churchill Downs, still stand, which is amazing considering that in the 35 years since they occurred, advances in track maintenance have produced racing surfaces conducive to faster times.
Big Brown has been scrutinized for beating up on fields of dubious quality. Of course, the fact that there hasn't been anyone around to date to really test him is not his fault. That said, it would take a good imagination to picture Big Brown coming remotely close to emulating what Secretariat did in the Marlboro Cup. Secretariat not only won the Marlboro Cup in world-record time, he did so with arrogant ease over a field that included two Hall of Famers, Riva Ridge and Cougar II; Canadian Horse of the Year Kennedy Road; and champion Key to the Mint.
As much of an accomplishment as it would be for Big Brown to win Saturday, he could race 100 more times and never do what Secretariat did in his Belmont: He established the reference point by which all modern racehorses are measured.
So if Big Brown wins Saturday, compare away. I will, too, because the rich history of this sport requires such achievements be placed in historical context. Just when you get to Secretariat, be careful. Be very, very careful.
0
Big Brown a long way from Big Red
By MIKE WATCHMAKER
NEW YORK - If Big Brown completes his sweep of the Triple Crown in Saturday's Belmont Stakes - for what it's worth, I don't think it is quite the foregone conclusion trainer Rick Dutrow seems to think it is - he will invite inevitable comparisons to the other most recent Triple Crown winners.
Let me say this right now: If Big Brown wins, I don't care what you do. Compare him with Affirmed and Seattle Slew until your eyes become blurry from staring too long at their past performances, and compare him favorably if you like. But do not, under any circumstances, lest you betray your ignorance, compare Big Brown favorably with Secretariat.
I know what you're thinking. Here's another crusty old geezer - and an admitted Secretariat-ophile, to boot - about to tell us how much better horses "back in the day" were. I know all about how frustrating this can be, as I've been there, and experienced that. It wasn't that long ago - just a couple of decades - when I had one particularly memorable conversation with Jack Wilson, the longtime head of chart callers when this paper was in the business of compiling charts. Having told Wilson my heavily considered opinion - I do have immense respect for the history of this sport - that Secretariat was the greatest racehorse ever, he told me Citation could have beaten Secretariat "pulling a wagon." I dismissed most of that bluster to the "Back in the Day Syndrome," as well as Wilson's penchant for needling, which he did just as well as he called charts. Still, I had to accept that, in his opinion, Wilson thought Citation was superior to Secretariat.
If Big Brown wins Saturday, people will notice a couple of coincidental similarities between Big Brown and Secretariat, such as both broke long Triple Crown droughts - Big Brown would be the first in the 30 years since Affirmed, while Secretariat was the first since Citation 25 years earlier - and both were/are to be retired to stud after their 3-year-old seasons. Beyond that, the only similarities between Big Brown and Secretariat are - and I say this with considerable respect and admiration for Big Brown - both had four legs, a mane, and a tail.
Yes, if Big Brown wins Saturday, he will still be undefeated, while Secretariat was not always perfect. But before he ever even started at 3, Secretariat was already a reigning Horse of the Year, an honor he would take both seasons he raced. If Big Brown loses Saturday, he might not be a Horse of any Year, depending on what Curlin does the second half of this year.
Whereas Big Brown, despite his four straight triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures, has yet to seriously threaten a track record, Secretariat made a habit of toying with them. The whole world knows that Secretariat obliterated the track record in the Belmont Stakes by 2.60 seconds with his clocking of 2:24, and set a track record of 1:59.40 in the Kentucky Derby. But he also set a Triple Crown track record when he won the Preakness in 1:53.40, a distinction that was officially denied him because of the stubbornness of Pimlico management, which stuck with a slower clocking produced by a malfunctioning timer. Secretariat also set a world record for 1 1/8 miles when he won the Marlboro Cup in 1:45.40, set a 1 1/2-mile turf course record at Belmont of 2:24.80 when he won the Man o' War, and equaled Aqueduct's then one-mile track record of 1:33.40 when he won the Gotham. Secretariat's 1 1/2-mile and 1 1/8-mile main-track records at Belmont, and his 1 1/4-mile main-track record at Churchill Downs, still stand, which is amazing considering that in the 35 years since they occurred, advances in track maintenance have produced racing surfaces conducive to faster times.
Big Brown has been scrutinized for beating up on fields of dubious quality. Of course, the fact that there hasn't been anyone around to date to really test him is not his fault. That said, it would take a good imagination to picture Big Brown coming remotely close to emulating what Secretariat did in the Marlboro Cup. Secretariat not only won the Marlboro Cup in world-record time, he did so with arrogant ease over a field that included two Hall of Famers, Riva Ridge and Cougar II; Canadian Horse of the Year Kennedy Road; and champion Key to the Mint.
As much of an accomplishment as it would be for Big Brown to win Saturday, he could race 100 more times and never do what Secretariat did in his Belmont: He established the reference point by which all modern racehorses are measured.
So if Big Brown wins Saturday, compare away. I will, too, because the rich history of this sport requires such achievements be placed in historical context. Just when you get to Secretariat, be careful. Be very, very careful.
Collective sigh of relief
By JAY PRIVMAN
Barbara D. Livingston
Big Brown, under Michelle Nevin, works five furlongs in 1:00.03 on Tuesday morning at Belmont without aggravating his quarter crack.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Big Brown put his best foot forward on Tuesday morning at Belmont Park, turning in his final workout for the 140th Belmont Stakes in workmanlike fashion that had his connections breathing easier.
The time of the five-furlong drill - officially clocked in 1:00.03 - was solid, but was not nearly as important as how he came out of it. Big Brown, the winner of the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, has been battling a quarter crack on the inside of his left front hoof. Immediately following the work, his connections seemed satisfied that he had cleared another hurdle en route to his Triple Crown bid on Saturday.
"He's right on target. Couldn't be any better," said his trainer, Richard Dutrow Jr.
The sunny pronouncements from Dutrow could not, however, hide the anxiousness in Big Brown's camp surrounding Tuesday's work. The workout was delayed by at least two days because of the time needed to treat the quarter crack when it first developed more than a week ago. And the work will be the only one Big Brown has in the three weeks between the Preakness and the Belmont.
"I didn't get much sleep last night," admitted Michael Iavarone, the co-president of the IEAH Stable syndicate which co-owns Big Brown.
"I was a nervous wreck," said Michelle Nevin, Big Brown's exercise rider. "I'm so glad it's over. I know I'm very relieved."
Nevin showed again why Dutrow puts her on his best horses. Dutrow wanted Nevin to work Big Brown in about 1:00. It was not an easy task, because Big Brown was eager to do more when he first glided into the work on the backstretch. But Nevin kept him under control as he clicked off furlongs right around 12 seconds each, and the final time was spot on.
Big Brown came on the track at 8:55 a.m. Eastern, shortly after the renovation break. He wore protective bandages on all four legs. He also had patches under the bandages to protect his heels, which are prone to being scraped - commonly known as "running down" - on a sandy surface like that at Belmont Park; Dutrow said Big Brown would wear the patches and leg wraps in the race, too.
After standing quietly for five minutes near the 1 1/4-mile pole on the clubhouse turn, Nevin let Big Brown go into a controlled jog. As Big Brown passed the six-furlong pole, he noticeably quickened, and he was moving as fast as Nevin wanted by the time he got to the five-furlong pole.
"He was looking to do something," Nevin said. "He was trying to get away from me early. I didn't want him to do too much. I tried to sit against him. I'm very, very happy with him. He switched leads perfectly, with no hesitation. He was pretty strong today. He was bored the last couple of days," when Big Brown merely galloped.
"I expected him to do good," Dutrow said. "I was hoping to get the time he got. I'm as happy as we can be."
Big Brown is still not out of the woods, though. Although everything seemingly has gone right since foot specialist Ian McKinlay first began working on Big Brown for this quarter crack, there is always the risk that a work will jar something. In addition, the crack still needs to be patched, McKinlay having advised Dutrow not to patch it before the work. Horses run and win every day at tracks across the country with quarter crack patches, but with an unbeaten colt going for the Triple Crown, every step is under a microscope.
"For all the cracks I've seen in 30 years, this is nothing special," McKinlay said. "What's special is he's a special horse. And it's magnified because of the race."
McKinlay said the quarter crack is a 4 on a scale of 10, with 10 being a worst-case scenario.
"The quarter crack is not an issue," Iavarone insisted. "Ian's done an incredible job from the second this thing happened."
Big Brown, according to Dutrow, was scheduled to walk around the barn's shed row on Wednesday, return to the track to jog on Thursday, then have a routine gallop on Friday. He will not go to the track on Saturday morning, Dutrow said.
"I called Ian after the work and said everything went good, I didn't see any issue at all," Dutrow said.
McKinlay said the foot will be cleaned out before adhesives are put over the injured area. He said Big Brown will wear a padded shoe, "to remove concussion."
Nevin said Big Brown felt as good as ever on Tuesday.
"He has not changed one little bit since before the Derby and before the Preakness," Nevin said.
"No matter what's thrown at him," Dutrow said, "he's gonna be ready."
In other Belmont developments:
* Icabad Crane, who was third in the Preakness, arrived at Belmont on Tuesday after a van ride from the Fair Hill Training Center in Maryland.
* Anak Nakal and Da' Tara were scheduled to be sent by van from Saratoga on Wednesday, and both Denis of Cork and Macho Again were scheduled to fly from Kentucky on Wednesday. Denis of Cork and Macho Again originally were to fly on Tuesday, but severe thunderstorms in central Kentucky area pushed the flight back one day.
- additional reporting by David Grening
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Collective sigh of relief
By JAY PRIVMAN
Barbara D. Livingston
Big Brown, under Michelle Nevin, works five furlongs in 1:00.03 on Tuesday morning at Belmont without aggravating his quarter crack.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Big Brown put his best foot forward on Tuesday morning at Belmont Park, turning in his final workout for the 140th Belmont Stakes in workmanlike fashion that had his connections breathing easier.
The time of the five-furlong drill - officially clocked in 1:00.03 - was solid, but was not nearly as important as how he came out of it. Big Brown, the winner of the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, has been battling a quarter crack on the inside of his left front hoof. Immediately following the work, his connections seemed satisfied that he had cleared another hurdle en route to his Triple Crown bid on Saturday.
"He's right on target. Couldn't be any better," said his trainer, Richard Dutrow Jr.
The sunny pronouncements from Dutrow could not, however, hide the anxiousness in Big Brown's camp surrounding Tuesday's work. The workout was delayed by at least two days because of the time needed to treat the quarter crack when it first developed more than a week ago. And the work will be the only one Big Brown has in the three weeks between the Preakness and the Belmont.
"I didn't get much sleep last night," admitted Michael Iavarone, the co-president of the IEAH Stable syndicate which co-owns Big Brown.
"I was a nervous wreck," said Michelle Nevin, Big Brown's exercise rider. "I'm so glad it's over. I know I'm very relieved."
Nevin showed again why Dutrow puts her on his best horses. Dutrow wanted Nevin to work Big Brown in about 1:00. It was not an easy task, because Big Brown was eager to do more when he first glided into the work on the backstretch. But Nevin kept him under control as he clicked off furlongs right around 12 seconds each, and the final time was spot on.
Big Brown came on the track at 8:55 a.m. Eastern, shortly after the renovation break. He wore protective bandages on all four legs. He also had patches under the bandages to protect his heels, which are prone to being scraped - commonly known as "running down" - on a sandy surface like that at Belmont Park; Dutrow said Big Brown would wear the patches and leg wraps in the race, too.
After standing quietly for five minutes near the 1 1/4-mile pole on the clubhouse turn, Nevin let Big Brown go into a controlled jog. As Big Brown passed the six-furlong pole, he noticeably quickened, and he was moving as fast as Nevin wanted by the time he got to the five-furlong pole.
"He was looking to do something," Nevin said. "He was trying to get away from me early. I didn't want him to do too much. I tried to sit against him. I'm very, very happy with him. He switched leads perfectly, with no hesitation. He was pretty strong today. He was bored the last couple of days," when Big Brown merely galloped.
"I expected him to do good," Dutrow said. "I was hoping to get the time he got. I'm as happy as we can be."
Big Brown is still not out of the woods, though. Although everything seemingly has gone right since foot specialist Ian McKinlay first began working on Big Brown for this quarter crack, there is always the risk that a work will jar something. In addition, the crack still needs to be patched, McKinlay having advised Dutrow not to patch it before the work. Horses run and win every day at tracks across the country with quarter crack patches, but with an unbeaten colt going for the Triple Crown, every step is under a microscope.
"For all the cracks I've seen in 30 years, this is nothing special," McKinlay said. "What's special is he's a special horse. And it's magnified because of the race."
McKinlay said the quarter crack is a 4 on a scale of 10, with 10 being a worst-case scenario.
"The quarter crack is not an issue," Iavarone insisted. "Ian's done an incredible job from the second this thing happened."
Big Brown, according to Dutrow, was scheduled to walk around the barn's shed row on Wednesday, return to the track to jog on Thursday, then have a routine gallop on Friday. He will not go to the track on Saturday morning, Dutrow said.
"I called Ian after the work and said everything went good, I didn't see any issue at all," Dutrow said.
McKinlay said the foot will be cleaned out before adhesives are put over the injured area. He said Big Brown will wear a padded shoe, "to remove concussion."
Nevin said Big Brown felt as good as ever on Tuesday.
"He has not changed one little bit since before the Derby and before the Preakness," Nevin said.
"No matter what's thrown at him," Dutrow said, "he's gonna be ready."
In other Belmont developments:
* Icabad Crane, who was third in the Preakness, arrived at Belmont on Tuesday after a van ride from the Fair Hill Training Center in Maryland.
* Anak Nakal and Da' Tara were scheduled to be sent by van from Saratoga on Wednesday, and both Denis of Cork and Macho Again were scheduled to fly from Kentucky on Wednesday. Denis of Cork and Macho Again originally were to fly on Tuesday, but severe thunderstorms in central Kentucky area pushed the flight back one day.
- additional reporting by David Grening
Big Brown draws rail in Belmont
By JAY PRIVMAN
Barbara D. Livingston
Casino Drive
ELMONT, N.Y. - Perhaps the draw on Wednesday for the 140th Belmont Stakes on Saturday could be looked at as a metaphor for the story arc of Big Brown over the past five weeks.
Big Brown's trainer, Richard Dutrow Jr., and his ownership group were looked at as outsiders before the Kentucky Derby, in which Big Brown ended up in the far outside post, No. 20. Now that Big Brown has won the Derby and added the Preakness Stakes to stand on the doorstep of a Triple Crown, Dutrow and company have become the ultimate insiders, the focal point of everything having to do with racing.
So on Wednesday morning, the randomness of the draw had an apropos outcome when Big Brown drew the inside post for the $1 million Belmont. He will have nine rivals lined up outside him, resulting in a field of 10 - one more than expected - for the last and longest leg of the Triple Crown.
Dutrow brazenly took the outside post in the Derby, and then Big Brown drew right in the middle of the field for the Preakness. Dutrow said before the draw that he preferred an outside post for the Belmont, which encompasses one lap of Belmont Park's 1 1/2-mile main track, but said afterward he believed the inside post would not matter.
"I just can't see the post getting him beat," Dutrow said. "If he breaks good out of the one hole, it will be to our advantage. And if he doesn't, he has plenty of time to get out of there. There's no way a post position is going to get Big Brown beat."
"Obviously I'm going to have to jockey for position," said jockey Kent Desormeaux, who rides Big Brown. "But I'm well-mounted."
Big Brown, unbeaten in five starts, was installed as the 2-5 favorite on the morning lines set by Mike Watchmaker, Daily Racing Form's national handicapper, and Eric Donovan, the linemaker at Belmont Park. Both Donovan and Watchmaker have Casino Drive, the Peter Pan Stakes winner, the second choice at 7-2, with Denis of Cork, the third-place finisher in the Derby, next at 12-1.
Everyone else is 20-1 or higher, including the surprise late entrant Guadalcanal, who is winless in five starts. Guadalcanal most recently was second, beaten a nose, in a 1 1/2-mile turf race for maidens at Churchill Downs on May 23. He drew next to Big Brown in post 2.
The field, from the rail out, is Big Brown (Desormeaux the rider), Guadalcanal (Javier Castellano), Macho Again (Garrett Gomez), Denis of Cork (Robby Albarado), Casino Drive (Edgar Prado), Da' Tara (Alan Garcia), Tale of Ekati (Eibar Coa), Anak Nakal (Julien Leparoux), Ready's Echo (John Velazquez), and Icabad Crane (Jeremy Rose).
Tale of Ekati, who won the Wood Memorial in April, is the only horse besides Big Brown with a victory in a Grade 1 stakes race.
All 10 3-year-olds carry 126 pounds. Trainer Nick Zito has two runners in the race, Anak Nakal and Da' Tara, but they race as separate betting interests.
First prize in the Belmont is $600,000, with $200,000 to second.
"Obviously, it's a tough task at hand," said David Carroll, who trains Denis of Cork. "But we're here to win, and we're going to give it our best shot."
The Belmont is the 11th race on a 13-race card that begins at noon Eastern. Post time for the Belmont is scheduled for 6:25 p.m. It will be shown live on ABC from 5-7 p.m. The Belmont is the final leg of pick-four and pick-six wagers that both have pools guaranteed at $1 million.
Big Brown had a quiet day at Belmont Park. He worked Tuesday, so, as is his custom, he merely walked the barn's shed row the next day, in both the morning and the afternoon. Big Brown's sharpness Wednesday morning pleased Dutrow.
"He was very rough this morning, which we really liked," Dutrow said. "He is ready to run, looking for action."
The quarter crack on the inside of Big Brown's left front foot is scheduled to have patch put on it Friday afternoon, Dutrow said. Ian McKinlay, the foot specialist who has been treating Big Brown, came by Wednesday morning to check again on Big Brown.
The Belmont main track was rated as sloppy for training on a gray, misty morning Wednesday. Casino Drive originally was scheduled to have his final work for the Belmont on Wednesday, but he had another unorthodox training session that did not include a workout.
After walking the stable area for an hour, Casino Drive came on the track with stablemates Champagne Squall and Spark Candle after the renovation break, at 8:50 a.m. He then proceeded to gallop slowly to the backstretch, at which point he turned around and jogged back, exiting through the tunnel to the paddock.
Nobutaka Tada, who has overseen the training of Casino Drive as the racing manager for owner Hidetoshi Yamamoto, said Casino Drive did not do more "because of the condition of the track."
"The track was bad," Tada said. "We will try" Thursday.
Kazuo Fujisawa, the Japanese trainer of Casino Drive, arrived Tuesday night and watched Casino Drive train Wednesday.
"Mr. Fujisawa said after seeing the horse that he does not need a fast work," Tada said.
Casino Drive has appeared uncomfortable when he gallops the past three days, even after walking briskly before coming on the track. Tada said Casino Drive "has always been that way."
Race-day medication, such as the anti-inflammatory Butazolidin, is not legal in Japan, where Casino Drive made his first start, but it is legal here.
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Tada said Casino Drive would not use any medication in the Belmont.(WHAT? Dutrow is a master in various sh*t)
-------------------
The rain Wednesday morning yielded a comfortable high temperature of 72 degrees Wednesday afternoon, but weather.com forecast much steamier conditions by the weekend. The high temperature on Friday is predicted to be 81 degrees, with an 85-degree high on Saturday. There is a 30 percent chance of isolated thunderstorms both days.
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Big Brown draws rail in Belmont
By JAY PRIVMAN
Barbara D. Livingston
Casino Drive
ELMONT, N.Y. - Perhaps the draw on Wednesday for the 140th Belmont Stakes on Saturday could be looked at as a metaphor for the story arc of Big Brown over the past five weeks.
Big Brown's trainer, Richard Dutrow Jr., and his ownership group were looked at as outsiders before the Kentucky Derby, in which Big Brown ended up in the far outside post, No. 20. Now that Big Brown has won the Derby and added the Preakness Stakes to stand on the doorstep of a Triple Crown, Dutrow and company have become the ultimate insiders, the focal point of everything having to do with racing.
So on Wednesday morning, the randomness of the draw had an apropos outcome when Big Brown drew the inside post for the $1 million Belmont. He will have nine rivals lined up outside him, resulting in a field of 10 - one more than expected - for the last and longest leg of the Triple Crown.
Dutrow brazenly took the outside post in the Derby, and then Big Brown drew right in the middle of the field for the Preakness. Dutrow said before the draw that he preferred an outside post for the Belmont, which encompasses one lap of Belmont Park's 1 1/2-mile main track, but said afterward he believed the inside post would not matter.
"I just can't see the post getting him beat," Dutrow said. "If he breaks good out of the one hole, it will be to our advantage. And if he doesn't, he has plenty of time to get out of there. There's no way a post position is going to get Big Brown beat."
"Obviously I'm going to have to jockey for position," said jockey Kent Desormeaux, who rides Big Brown. "But I'm well-mounted."
Big Brown, unbeaten in five starts, was installed as the 2-5 favorite on the morning lines set by Mike Watchmaker, Daily Racing Form's national handicapper, and Eric Donovan, the linemaker at Belmont Park. Both Donovan and Watchmaker have Casino Drive, the Peter Pan Stakes winner, the second choice at 7-2, with Denis of Cork, the third-place finisher in the Derby, next at 12-1.
Everyone else is 20-1 or higher, including the surprise late entrant Guadalcanal, who is winless in five starts. Guadalcanal most recently was second, beaten a nose, in a 1 1/2-mile turf race for maidens at Churchill Downs on May 23. He drew next to Big Brown in post 2.
The field, from the rail out, is Big Brown (Desormeaux the rider), Guadalcanal (Javier Castellano), Macho Again (Garrett Gomez), Denis of Cork (Robby Albarado), Casino Drive (Edgar Prado), Da' Tara (Alan Garcia), Tale of Ekati (Eibar Coa), Anak Nakal (Julien Leparoux), Ready's Echo (John Velazquez), and Icabad Crane (Jeremy Rose).
Tale of Ekati, who won the Wood Memorial in April, is the only horse besides Big Brown with a victory in a Grade 1 stakes race.
All 10 3-year-olds carry 126 pounds. Trainer Nick Zito has two runners in the race, Anak Nakal and Da' Tara, but they race as separate betting interests.
First prize in the Belmont is $600,000, with $200,000 to second.
"Obviously, it's a tough task at hand," said David Carroll, who trains Denis of Cork. "But we're here to win, and we're going to give it our best shot."
The Belmont is the 11th race on a 13-race card that begins at noon Eastern. Post time for the Belmont is scheduled for 6:25 p.m. It will be shown live on ABC from 5-7 p.m. The Belmont is the final leg of pick-four and pick-six wagers that both have pools guaranteed at $1 million.
Big Brown had a quiet day at Belmont Park. He worked Tuesday, so, as is his custom, he merely walked the barn's shed row the next day, in both the morning and the afternoon. Big Brown's sharpness Wednesday morning pleased Dutrow.
"He was very rough this morning, which we really liked," Dutrow said. "He is ready to run, looking for action."
The quarter crack on the inside of Big Brown's left front foot is scheduled to have patch put on it Friday afternoon, Dutrow said. Ian McKinlay, the foot specialist who has been treating Big Brown, came by Wednesday morning to check again on Big Brown.
The Belmont main track was rated as sloppy for training on a gray, misty morning Wednesday. Casino Drive originally was scheduled to have his final work for the Belmont on Wednesday, but he had another unorthodox training session that did not include a workout.
After walking the stable area for an hour, Casino Drive came on the track with stablemates Champagne Squall and Spark Candle after the renovation break, at 8:50 a.m. He then proceeded to gallop slowly to the backstretch, at which point he turned around and jogged back, exiting through the tunnel to the paddock.
Nobutaka Tada, who has overseen the training of Casino Drive as the racing manager for owner Hidetoshi Yamamoto, said Casino Drive did not do more "because of the condition of the track."
"The track was bad," Tada said. "We will try" Thursday.
Kazuo Fujisawa, the Japanese trainer of Casino Drive, arrived Tuesday night and watched Casino Drive train Wednesday.
"Mr. Fujisawa said after seeing the horse that he does not need a fast work," Tada said.
Casino Drive has appeared uncomfortable when he gallops the past three days, even after walking briskly before coming on the track. Tada said Casino Drive "has always been that way."
Race-day medication, such as the anti-inflammatory Butazolidin, is not legal in Japan, where Casino Drive made his first start, but it is legal here.
-------------------
Tada said Casino Drive would not use any medication in the Belmont.(WHAT? Dutrow is a master in various sh*t)
-------------------
The rain Wednesday morning yielded a comfortable high temperature of 72 degrees Wednesday afternoon, but weather.com forecast much steamier conditions by the weekend. The high temperature on Friday is predicted to be 81 degrees, with an 85-degree high on Saturday. There is a 30 percent chance of isolated thunderstorms both days.
Oh it's THREAD! No wonder everyone ignored me when I asked posters to reply to my twine, strand, yarn, cord or fiber. I jus can't keep up with this lingo.
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Oh it's THREAD! No wonder everyone ignored me when I asked posters to reply to my twine, strand, yarn, cord or fiber. I jus can't keep up with this lingo.
Lots of attention - not all of it good
By ANDREW BEYER
People in the racing business hope every year to see a Triple Crown winner who can stimulate the public's and the media's interest in the sport. Big Brown's bid to make history has indeed attracted widespread attention, but it has often been attention that the industry doesn't want, because the 2008 Triple Crown has sometimes shown racing at its worst. The series began with a filly, Eight Belles, dying on the track at Churchill Downs, and it is likely to end with the dismaying sight of owner Michael Iavarone and trainer Rick Dutrow celebrating in the winner's circle at Belmont Park.
Horse racing has always attracted its share of rogues and charlatans, but few have been as brazen as Iavarone, co-CEO of the IEAH Stable. Iavarone presented himself as an investment banker who had made a fortune on Wall Street and was turning his business acumen to the horse racing game. The media lapped up his story, and even publications such as The New York Times and Business Week credulously reported that he had prospered on Wall Street.
Writer David Evans of Bloomberg.com exposed the lies: Iavarone had never been an investment banker. He was a stockbroker at firms peddling penny stocks; he was fined and suspended for securities offenses. When his career in the investment business fizzled, he turned to horse racing.
Iavarone's sudden prominence in racing underscores the weakness of the sport's regulatory system and should be a caution for any innocent who considers investing in horses. Iavarone couldn't sell a share of a 10-cent gold-mining stock without being licensed by the securities industry and making his professional history a matter of public record. But he was soliciting investments for a $100 million horse-racing "hedge fund" without disclosing his background - a fact that has sparked disbelief and derision from commentators outside the sport. John Helyar, co-author of "Barbarians at the Gate," wrote for Bloomberg.com: " 'Big Brown' has taken on a whole new meaning. It describes the . . . dung piles littering Iavarone's past."
For his part, Iavarone acknowledged to Evans that in 2003 he "wasn't in good financial shape." He told The New York Times: "I've learned my lesson and moved on from that life, and I don't know how the mistakes I made 15 years ago are relevant now."
There are plenty of problems in Dutrow's past, too, and since he has been in the public eye with Big Brown they have all been dug up again. The trainer's record includes many drug-related infractions, most of them in cases where medications such as phenylbutazone and clenbuterol have registered over the legal limit in a horse's system. In U.S. racing, this is considered business as usual; trainers regularly push the envelope and try to give their horses the maximum allowable dose of every drug that can help them.
Dutrow acknowledged that he administers the anabolic steroid Winstrol to Big Brown once a month, and before the Preakness he told reporters: "I don't know what it does. I just like using it." He was at least candid enough to talk about the use of steroids, which is one of the sport's dirty little secrets. With no national regulatory organization, there is no uniformity in the banning of performance-enhancing substances.
But in the aftermath of Eight Belles' death, when the sport has been heaped with criticism about the way racehorses are treated, Dutrow is an uncomfortable reminder that successful trainers use drugs - including ones like anabolic steroids that may do them harm.
Dutrow's record lists many more serious infractions. He got a 60-day suspension in 2005 when two of his horses tested positive for Mepivacaine, a drug that deadens pain and might allow infirm horses to keep running hard, further injuring themselves. He was suspended for violating the terms of a suspension by maintaining contact with his assistants. He was fined for falsifying workouts of Wild Desert before the colt went to Canada and won the nation's biggest race, the Queen's Plate. (After the owner of the colt boasted that he had won $100,000 betting the horse, Canadian racing officials were seething.)
Yet even if Dutrow didn't have a single blemish on his official record, rival trainers, track officials, and bettors would still view him with suspicion. After Dutrow acquires new horses, he seemingly has the power to transform them magically. When he took over the training of Saint Liam in 2003, the colt had won only two minor races in seven starts. Under Dutrow's care he was a new horse, winning four Grade 1 stakes and the Horse of the Year title. When a trainer does this once, it's a remarkable feat. But when he improves horses dramatically on a regular basis, he will be suspected of taking some unfair edge. Dutrow does it on a regular basis. Over the past five years, the horses he has claimed have won an astonishing 35 percent of the time in the first start for his barn.
In many other countries, trainers with Dutrow's record and reputation would be booted out of the sport. In the U.S., where penalties for medication violations are usually laughable, an unsavory reputation is scarcely a handicap, because owners gravitate to high-percentage trainers. When the IEAH Stable's previous trainer was socked with criminal charges for cheating with one of the stable's horses, IEAH sought out Dutrow. And thus did he eventually get the opportunity to train Big Brown.
Even Dutrow's severest detractors have to admit, however grudgingly, that he has distinguished himself since he has been in the public eye with Big Brown. He has been entertaining, candid, and disarmingly frank about his own past malfeasances. He has handled the colt with marvelous finesse, using an extraordinarily light regimen to get him ready for his powerful Preakness victory. He will deserve abundant credit if Big Brown captures the Triple Crown, just as Iavarone will deserve credit for being smart enough to buy the colt when he was a virtual unknown. But the only admirable figure in the Belmont winner's circle will be Big Brown.
(c) 2008 The Washington Post
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Lots of attention - not all of it good
By ANDREW BEYER
People in the racing business hope every year to see a Triple Crown winner who can stimulate the public's and the media's interest in the sport. Big Brown's bid to make history has indeed attracted widespread attention, but it has often been attention that the industry doesn't want, because the 2008 Triple Crown has sometimes shown racing at its worst. The series began with a filly, Eight Belles, dying on the track at Churchill Downs, and it is likely to end with the dismaying sight of owner Michael Iavarone and trainer Rick Dutrow celebrating in the winner's circle at Belmont Park.
Horse racing has always attracted its share of rogues and charlatans, but few have been as brazen as Iavarone, co-CEO of the IEAH Stable. Iavarone presented himself as an investment banker who had made a fortune on Wall Street and was turning his business acumen to the horse racing game. The media lapped up his story, and even publications such as The New York Times and Business Week credulously reported that he had prospered on Wall Street.
Writer David Evans of Bloomberg.com exposed the lies: Iavarone had never been an investment banker. He was a stockbroker at firms peddling penny stocks; he was fined and suspended for securities offenses. When his career in the investment business fizzled, he turned to horse racing.
Iavarone's sudden prominence in racing underscores the weakness of the sport's regulatory system and should be a caution for any innocent who considers investing in horses. Iavarone couldn't sell a share of a 10-cent gold-mining stock without being licensed by the securities industry and making his professional history a matter of public record. But he was soliciting investments for a $100 million horse-racing "hedge fund" without disclosing his background - a fact that has sparked disbelief and derision from commentators outside the sport. John Helyar, co-author of "Barbarians at the Gate," wrote for Bloomberg.com: " 'Big Brown' has taken on a whole new meaning. It describes the . . . dung piles littering Iavarone's past."
For his part, Iavarone acknowledged to Evans that in 2003 he "wasn't in good financial shape." He told The New York Times: "I've learned my lesson and moved on from that life, and I don't know how the mistakes I made 15 years ago are relevant now."
There are plenty of problems in Dutrow's past, too, and since he has been in the public eye with Big Brown they have all been dug up again. The trainer's record includes many drug-related infractions, most of them in cases where medications such as phenylbutazone and clenbuterol have registered over the legal limit in a horse's system. In U.S. racing, this is considered business as usual; trainers regularly push the envelope and try to give their horses the maximum allowable dose of every drug that can help them.
Dutrow acknowledged that he administers the anabolic steroid Winstrol to Big Brown once a month, and before the Preakness he told reporters: "I don't know what it does. I just like using it." He was at least candid enough to talk about the use of steroids, which is one of the sport's dirty little secrets. With no national regulatory organization, there is no uniformity in the banning of performance-enhancing substances.
But in the aftermath of Eight Belles' death, when the sport has been heaped with criticism about the way racehorses are treated, Dutrow is an uncomfortable reminder that successful trainers use drugs - including ones like anabolic steroids that may do them harm.
Dutrow's record lists many more serious infractions. He got a 60-day suspension in 2005 when two of his horses tested positive for Mepivacaine, a drug that deadens pain and might allow infirm horses to keep running hard, further injuring themselves. He was suspended for violating the terms of a suspension by maintaining contact with his assistants. He was fined for falsifying workouts of Wild Desert before the colt went to Canada and won the nation's biggest race, the Queen's Plate. (After the owner of the colt boasted that he had won $100,000 betting the horse, Canadian racing officials were seething.)
Yet even if Dutrow didn't have a single blemish on his official record, rival trainers, track officials, and bettors would still view him with suspicion. After Dutrow acquires new horses, he seemingly has the power to transform them magically. When he took over the training of Saint Liam in 2003, the colt had won only two minor races in seven starts. Under Dutrow's care he was a new horse, winning four Grade 1 stakes and the Horse of the Year title. When a trainer does this once, it's a remarkable feat. But when he improves horses dramatically on a regular basis, he will be suspected of taking some unfair edge. Dutrow does it on a regular basis. Over the past five years, the horses he has claimed have won an astonishing 35 percent of the time in the first start for his barn.
In many other countries, trainers with Dutrow's record and reputation would be booted out of the sport. In the U.S., where penalties for medication violations are usually laughable, an unsavory reputation is scarcely a handicap, because owners gravitate to high-percentage trainers. When the IEAH Stable's previous trainer was socked with criminal charges for cheating with one of the stable's horses, IEAH sought out Dutrow. And thus did he eventually get the opportunity to train Big Brown.
Even Dutrow's severest detractors have to admit, however grudgingly, that he has distinguished himself since he has been in the public eye with Big Brown. He has been entertaining, candid, and disarmingly frank about his own past malfeasances. He has handled the colt with marvelous finesse, using an extraordinarily light regimen to get him ready for his powerful Preakness victory. He will deserve abundant credit if Big Brown captures the Triple Crown, just as Iavarone will deserve credit for being smart enough to buy the colt when he was a virtual unknown. But the only admirable figure in the Belmont winner's circle will be Big Brown.
(c) 2008 The Washington Post
History waits for Big Brown
By ANDREW BEYER
WASHINGTON - When Big Brown attempts to complete a sweep of the Triple Crown, he will face some daunting precedents. Since Affirmed last accomplished the feat in 1978, 10 horses have come into the Belmont Stakes after winning the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness. Although some of these horses are ranked among the all-time great Thoroughbreds, all of them failed at Belmont Park.
So even though Big Brown looks almost unbeatable on paper, racing fans ought to study history as well as the past performances. For what reasons have top-class horses been thwarted in the Belmont Stakes? Are those reasons applicable to Big Brown?
Many of the failed bids for the Triple Crown can be traced to horses' unsuitability for the Belmont's 1 1/2-mile distance. Contemporary American dirt horses rarely run so far, and few of them are bred to do so.
In recent years, pedigree hasn't appeared to be an important factor in the other Triple Crown races. Horses have been winning the Kentucky Derby with sprint-oriented bloodlines that would have doomed them 25 years ago. But horses still don't win the Belmont Stakes without sufficient stamina in their genes.
The last three horses to make bids for the Triple Crown all had pedigrees emphasizing speed rather than stamina. War Emblem (2002) was a son of Our Emblem, a seven-furlong specialist. Funny Cide (2003), was a son of Distorted Humor, who excelled at seven furlongs and won only once as far as a mile. Smarty Jones (2004) was a son of Elusive Quality, also a sprinter. All of them faded in the last quarter-mile of the Belmont.
At 1 1/2 miles, a horse's running style is just as important as his pedigree, and the optimal style in the Belmont is antithetical to the style that so often prevails in the Kentucky Derby. Horses such as Spectacular Bid (1979), Pleasant Colony (1981), Alysheba (1987), Real Quiet (1998), and Charismatic (1999) all won the Derby by taking command of the race with a strong move on the turn.
When horses attempt to seize command of the Belmont with one bold move, they turn into what seems like an endless stretch and they almost always come up short. The five aforementioned Derby winners all lost in their Triple Crown bids. Real Quiet was the archetypal failure. Kent Desormeaux - the jockey who will ride Big Brown - swooped past the field, opened a four-length lead, looked like a sure winner - and was caught at the wire by Victory Gallop.
The Belmont is typically won by even-pace runners instead of those whose forte is delivering one big burst of speed. Plodders can win it, but tractable speed horses do best of all. The last four Triple Crown winners - Citation (1948), Secretariat (1973), Seattle Slew (1977) and Affirmed (1978) - all led from start to finish, and all except Secretariat won by meting out their speed at a moderate pace.
Big Brown possesses the optimal running style. He is blessed with great speed, but he will dole it out as Desormeaux wishes. The jockey gunned him to the lead in the Florida Derby, but he was able to put Big Brown under early restraint in both the Derby and the Preakness. In winning the first two legs of the Triple Crown, he looked like a colt well suited to the Belmont, except for one thing: his bloodlines.
Big Brown's sire, Boundary, raced only in sprints during his eight-race career, and almost all of his offspring prefer short distances, too. Big Brown may get some moderate stamina influences from his female side, but his is anything but an ideal Belmont Stakes pedigree.
Whether horses are well suited or ill suited to the 1 1/2-mile distance, they don't run in a vacuum, and they may succeed or fail because of the quality of their competition. Sunday Silence, who had an excellent pedigree and running style, lost his bid for the Triple Crown in 1989 when Easy Goer delivered the best Belmont Stakes performance of the last 20 years. Silver Charm would have won the 1997 Belmont but for the presence of a formidable foe in Touch Gold. Conversely, horses with shaky 1 1/2-mile credentials (e.g. Bold Forbes in 1976) can sometimes hang on if the competition is weak enough.
Big Brown won the first two legs of the Triple Crown by dominating a weak group of 3-year-olds. In the Belmont he faces one serious challenger: Casino Drive, the intriguing colt who won his racing debut in Japan, shipped to the United States, and captured the Peter Pan Stakes at Belmont by five lengths. Casino Drive has an extraordinary pedigree. His dam, Better Than Honour, produced the last two winners of the Belmont. Moreover, his paternal grandsire (A.P. Indy) and great grandsire (Seattle Slew) are both Belmont winners.
But does Casino Drive's talent measure up with Big Brown's? Casino Drive earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 102 winning the Peter Pan. Big Brown got a 109 in the Kentucky Derby and could surely have earned a higher number if he hadn't been parked wide on both turns.
Big Brown goes into the Belmont with an edge of five lengths or more over Casino Drive. Even if Big Brown is less effective at the longer distance, and even if Casino Drive relishes it, the favorite has such a great edge in ability that he is unlikely to be beaten. The racing world can get ready to hail the 12th Triple Crown winner.
(c) 2008 The Washington Post
0
History waits for Big Brown
By ANDREW BEYER
WASHINGTON - When Big Brown attempts to complete a sweep of the Triple Crown, he will face some daunting precedents. Since Affirmed last accomplished the feat in 1978, 10 horses have come into the Belmont Stakes after winning the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness. Although some of these horses are ranked among the all-time great Thoroughbreds, all of them failed at Belmont Park.
So even though Big Brown looks almost unbeatable on paper, racing fans ought to study history as well as the past performances. For what reasons have top-class horses been thwarted in the Belmont Stakes? Are those reasons applicable to Big Brown?
Many of the failed bids for the Triple Crown can be traced to horses' unsuitability for the Belmont's 1 1/2-mile distance. Contemporary American dirt horses rarely run so far, and few of them are bred to do so.
In recent years, pedigree hasn't appeared to be an important factor in the other Triple Crown races. Horses have been winning the Kentucky Derby with sprint-oriented bloodlines that would have doomed them 25 years ago. But horses still don't win the Belmont Stakes without sufficient stamina in their genes.
The last three horses to make bids for the Triple Crown all had pedigrees emphasizing speed rather than stamina. War Emblem (2002) was a son of Our Emblem, a seven-furlong specialist. Funny Cide (2003), was a son of Distorted Humor, who excelled at seven furlongs and won only once as far as a mile. Smarty Jones (2004) was a son of Elusive Quality, also a sprinter. All of them faded in the last quarter-mile of the Belmont.
At 1 1/2 miles, a horse's running style is just as important as his pedigree, and the optimal style in the Belmont is antithetical to the style that so often prevails in the Kentucky Derby. Horses such as Spectacular Bid (1979), Pleasant Colony (1981), Alysheba (1987), Real Quiet (1998), and Charismatic (1999) all won the Derby by taking command of the race with a strong move on the turn.
When horses attempt to seize command of the Belmont with one bold move, they turn into what seems like an endless stretch and they almost always come up short. The five aforementioned Derby winners all lost in their Triple Crown bids. Real Quiet was the archetypal failure. Kent Desormeaux - the jockey who will ride Big Brown - swooped past the field, opened a four-length lead, looked like a sure winner - and was caught at the wire by Victory Gallop.
The Belmont is typically won by even-pace runners instead of those whose forte is delivering one big burst of speed. Plodders can win it, but tractable speed horses do best of all. The last four Triple Crown winners - Citation (1948), Secretariat (1973), Seattle Slew (1977) and Affirmed (1978) - all led from start to finish, and all except Secretariat won by meting out their speed at a moderate pace.
Big Brown possesses the optimal running style. He is blessed with great speed, but he will dole it out as Desormeaux wishes. The jockey gunned him to the lead in the Florida Derby, but he was able to put Big Brown under early restraint in both the Derby and the Preakness. In winning the first two legs of the Triple Crown, he looked like a colt well suited to the Belmont, except for one thing: his bloodlines.
Big Brown's sire, Boundary, raced only in sprints during his eight-race career, and almost all of his offspring prefer short distances, too. Big Brown may get some moderate stamina influences from his female side, but his is anything but an ideal Belmont Stakes pedigree.
Whether horses are well suited or ill suited to the 1 1/2-mile distance, they don't run in a vacuum, and they may succeed or fail because of the quality of their competition. Sunday Silence, who had an excellent pedigree and running style, lost his bid for the Triple Crown in 1989 when Easy Goer delivered the best Belmont Stakes performance of the last 20 years. Silver Charm would have won the 1997 Belmont but for the presence of a formidable foe in Touch Gold. Conversely, horses with shaky 1 1/2-mile credentials (e.g. Bold Forbes in 1976) can sometimes hang on if the competition is weak enough.
Big Brown won the first two legs of the Triple Crown by dominating a weak group of 3-year-olds. In the Belmont he faces one serious challenger: Casino Drive, the intriguing colt who won his racing debut in Japan, shipped to the United States, and captured the Peter Pan Stakes at Belmont by five lengths. Casino Drive has an extraordinary pedigree. His dam, Better Than Honour, produced the last two winners of the Belmont. Moreover, his paternal grandsire (A.P. Indy) and great grandsire (Seattle Slew) are both Belmont winners.
But does Casino Drive's talent measure up with Big Brown's? Casino Drive earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 102 winning the Peter Pan. Big Brown got a 109 in the Kentucky Derby and could surely have earned a higher number if he hadn't been parked wide on both turns.
Big Brown goes into the Belmont with an edge of five lengths or more over Casino Drive. Even if Big Brown is less effective at the longer distance, and even if Casino Drive relishes it, the favorite has such a great edge in ability that he is unlikely to be beaten. The racing world can get ready to hail the 12th Triple Crown winner.
(c) 2008 The Washington Post
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