Belmont- The graveyard of champions

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Posted By: Bob

Once again a potential Triple Crown winner met defeat. I am hoping no one here bet the farm on Big Brown.

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Posted By: barrysloate

Can any expert explain what happened? Big Brown was last.

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Posted By: Jeff Lichtman

No one could be that dumb to bet big money on a 1:4 shot, I would assume.

"I had no horse...something was wrong." Such empathy. Couldn't help but notice that after the jockey jumped off BB he didn't even turn around to look at him. I guess running the horse with a cracked hoof was worth the risk when you consider all the money that was at stake. Darn.

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Posted By: Bob

So far nothing. They are going to check for any respiratory problems. Nothing seriously wrong, he just got his butt kicked by inferior horses. It happens....

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Posted By: Bob

Jeff- Unfortunately some do. I bet that some even thought they were going to make a killing by betting a ton of money in the show pool, knowing he would AT LEAST finish 3rd. Gulp

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Posted By: Jeff Lichtman

Presumably nearly every bettor lost -- as the boxes, trifectas, etc. all came up empty. I feel bad for the horse only in that he may be hurt and was forced to run with an injury. The ugliness of Eight Belles' demise and now this...

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Posted By: Bob

I keep thinking back to Spectacular Bid going for the Triple Crown and running the entire Belmont with a safety pin jammed in to his foot and still gutting it out to finish 3rd. No one ever mentions him but he was a helluva horse.

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Posted By: Bob

The latest is that Big Brown is being called the Bobby Bonds of horse racing. This was his first race without any steroids in his system. Makes you wonder....

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Posted By: Jeff Lichtman

I'm sure if the owner and trainers thought that steroids would have helped that cracked hoof they would have given him some. Well, at least the horse doesn't have to race anymore.

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Posted By: barrysloate

Big Brown looked like he was suffering from the intense heat...mid 90's in NYC.

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Posted By: Jeff Lichtman

It really is unbearable outside in NYC today -- it's like breathing fire with the humidity. I'm amazed that these horses can even run in this.

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Posted By: Bob Pomilla

A quarter crack is a painful injury and doubtless the horse was hurting, despite the treatments. It was also reported in The Bloodhorse, that Big Brown had suffered rundown (a scraping of the heels, due to contact with the track, while running) injuries to both rear heels, during the running of the Preakness and photos of his rearheels after the Preakness, showed that he had bled in them. This was a horse in some degree of pain, which may have worsened during the course of the race.

The heat, the distance, also, may have come into play.

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Posted By: leon

Ya'll don't know heat...In Dallas it's around 95 today...with a heat index of over 100....it's sort of hard to breathe outside if you aren't used to it. All in all I am ok with the racing but I wish they would outlaw steroids...If all of the horses were on an even playing field it would be just as fair as it is today....which I believe is a field in which steroids are allowed, at least from what I have read on the board...regards

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Posted By: barrysloate

Jeff- it only reached the low 80's in Sag Harbor...we had a gorgeous day.

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Posted By: Brian Weisner

Hi Leon,
You don't know heat....smiley. It was 94 degrees at 10:45 am when I drove through Columbia, SC today with a heat index of 101. By the time my Dad passed through at 1:15 it was 98 with an index of 110... Now that's hot...

Be well Brian

PS I wouldn't want to be in the middle of NY at 95 either... no air moving. Glad you were on the coast Barry....

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Posted By: barrysloate

I'm only two hours east of NYC but when I watched the 6:00 o'clock news it was 93 in the city and 76 on the east end. Huge difference.

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Posted By: Jeremy

Guys - Maybe I was asleep but has the media ever mentioned any of the other horses and their schedules of Steroids ? I get that Roids are part of horse racing, some/most use a form of Steroids (Winstrol,etc.), but with the Trainer open about Big Brown taking 1 scheduled round a month (on the 15th)and then did not give him a round on the 15th of May, makes me wonder... Even more, I wonder if the media or any journalist has reported on any of the other horses and were they given steroids ?? If BBrown has been taking regulary, winning 5 straight, then taken off (to prove a point by the trainer)I have to be skeptical about the whole gig... Obviously, they are looking at banning Roids in Horse Racing, but what Horse Racing fans need to know is of the horses that raced today, who was juicing and who was al natural!? (How the heck do we know what slant the playing field is??) This is what bothers me the most about all this... Accountability... 2 cents

~ Jeremy ~

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Posted By: Matthew

Im in Queens 10 minutes from belmont. It is in the 90s today. On the racetrack it has to be even hotter.

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Posted By: Dan Bretta

What a disgusting "sport"...running a horse with a cracked hoof, checking his lungs for blood after the race and deciding to forgo a round of Winstrol (Canseco's drug of choice).

Big Brown: Coming to a French restaurant table soon.

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Posted By: Bob

I'm sure there will be some excuses but the bottom line appears to be that 1) he is not physically hurt (asst. trainer just said so on the radio) 2) he didn't give his bst effort today and 3) he got his butt beat. I can't remember the last time a horse attempting to win the final leg of the Triple Crown gave such a lackluster and flat race. Ever.

Villanova basketball team over GTown, '69 Mets, '69 Jets, '78 Orange Bowl when Arkansas beat 31 point favorite and about-to-be national champ Oklahoma, and now Da' Tara. Just a few of my favorite upsets (I wasn't around in 1915 to watch the Miracle Braves)

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Posted By: Jeff Lichtman

Considering that BB was probably the biggest favorite in the history of the Belmont suggests something more was wrong than just a bad effort.

Next time someone claims how much horseracing people love their animals, just point to Kent D's reaction after he hopped off BB today: no concern or interest in his horse, just total disappointment and disgust. You'd think BB just got caught cheating with Kent's wife.

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Posted By: Paul

You want heat? I grew up in Palm Springs. Try 129 degrees. People from the East Coast always said "Yeah, but it's a dry heat." My response was always the same: "So is your oven."

I will have to admit that the heat was worse in one humid place. I drove through Little Rock when it was 108 degrees, with 102 percent humidity. The guys on the radio explained that the humidity scale is defined at sea level, making humidity levels of greater than 100 possible at other elevations.

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Posted By: Dan Bretta

Speaking of heat - I suppose the worst I've ever endured was about 15 years ago on the Mississippi river in New Orleans. It was already 90+ at about 9 AM..I walked out of the cabin on the boat we were staying on and my glasses fogged over in about one second. The second worst heat I've experienced was in Hot Springs, Arkansas about 10 years ago.

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Posted By: Patrick McHugh

First off i still think bb was juiced up. Every and i mean every racehorse is at all times shot up to the max. This horse had an obvious injury that may or may not come out in the press. Do not belive what they tell you on tv. Second i am not sure but kudos to the winning horse it was the first time i remember a horse going wire to wire in the belmont now that is big. 10 min of big brown coverage and not a shot or mention of the winner. typical american media hype that tells you right there how biased the whole thing was and leads right back to my first point.

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Posted By: Bob

Patrick- They have to thoroughly document when the horses receive their steroid medication and it is well documented that this was the first race Big Brown ran without being on steroids.
I agree with you on the rest of it though, the lack of attention paid to Da' Tara was criminal and the racing crew acted so stunned that they were running around without a clue. Sadly Jim McKay just died and he was a great horse racing fan and commentator who, had he been there announcing today, would have shown professionalism and class and the proper attention being paid to Da' Tara.

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Posted By: Jeremy

Patrick - I believe the Trainer by his behavior and BBrown's track record, was arrogant enough to believe BB could do it with out the usual round of juice. (So, I guess I am a fool by your words for believing this...) I think he wanted to prove a point, as he was privately getting hammered by folks around the circle about his statements on juicing the horse, the media, activists, etc. He was so sure of himself even right up to race time, that I think the trainer fell victim to BB's run and hype... He believed he had the Special One of a Kind Horse... Why would the trainer publically say to the media that he forgone the roid round and then risk looking like a absolute blow hard by telling a lie ? Could this missed round of Winstrol leave BB with out his edge ? I personally think it was a combination of the 4 factors... Heat, 1.5 mile track, cracked hoof, and the super juice. But what do I know... I am such a fool.

~ Jeremy ~

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Posted By: Patrick McHugh

Tbob when was last documented steriod shots? reason asked is from bodybuilding standpoint roids are still humming for 4 -8 weeks after cycle depending on person. Have to belive the same for animals. Also i will disagree as i belive winstrol shot is 1 to 2 times a week. In pro bodybuilding this is par for the course and in horse racing the animal with steroids grows to be 150-200lbs bigger. Much respect to you tbob and yes we both agree media coverage horrible. Also Tbob do you ever remember a horse going wire to wire in the belmont? I do not.

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Posted By: Jeff Lichtman

BB was such a huge favorite because the field was so lame in all three races. Even today his quasi-competition was a scratch. Looking at his times, BB was hardly one of the greatest horses of all time.

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Posted By: Patrick McHugh

Hi Jeremy no disrepect to you my statement may have been a little broad. You bring up many interesting points. I feel this year that steroids for the first time have been brought to the publics attention as most people never really thought this was part of the game. Think McGwire Bonds Clemans etc. Steroids have been a part of all pro sports including horse racing since the mid 70's And in some cases even before that date. The trainor may say oh big brown no winstrol shot this month what about his deca. nand test or winnie shots? You see when at the pro level the amount of abuse is out of control. I apoligize for calling anyone a fool my words were harsh. The media tells part of the truth all the time and all of the truth none of the time. I just was bummed by the lack of coverage the winner got . Do not know hope someone does but did we witness history a belmont wire to wire winner?

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Posted By: barrysloate

The TV commentators showed great hubris by virtually giving Big Brown the triple crown and ignoring the rest of the race. This will go down in history as one of sports' greatest upsets, and it might even become a metaphor for failure, as in "don't pull a Big Brown" or something like that.

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Posted By: Bob Pomilla

I think Seattle Slew went wire to wire in the '77 Belmont.

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Posted By: Bob

Affirmed went wire to wire in the 1978 Belmont although Alydar was right with him a nose to a head behind all the way around. Slew did go wire to wire in 77. Of course Bold Forbes lead every single step of the way and won in 1976.

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Posted By: Jeremy

Patrick - Thanks for the follow up - No harm, no foul... I think we were all a little upset about a number of things about this race (Coverage). Firstly, it took them 3 minutes to even show the winner. Heck, my wife who does not even follow the ponies even asked me why they have not shown who won the race... Everyone banked BB, and they got burned. Make no mistake, he had a nice 5 race run... Very interested to see where he goes from here... I am sure UPS will continue their assault on horse racing in the last hour... bahahaha....

~ Jeremy ~

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Posted By: brian

Back in July 1982 at Lackland AFB, it was 100 degrees by breakfast and the high temp hit about 120 degrees every day for a whole week. We still had to march and run in that heat. Airmen were passing out in droves.

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Posted By: Jason

You guys live in a climates that are too hot and humid for your collectibles. Send them all to me for safe keeping.

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Posted By: davidcycleback

Patrick I agree with some of what you say. Sports news is celebrity driven to a fault these days. If Tiger Woods wins a tournament, the headline is "Tiger Wins." If Tiger loses, the headline is "Tiger Doesn't Win." That the last place horse gets 10x more coverage after this race exemplifies this. No matter what the race order, the headlines were going to be about Big Brown.

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Posted By: J Paul

From the overhead shots it looked like maybe Big Brown maybe handle the track. The composition of the Belmont surface is different than Churchill or Pimlico and some horses just don't handle it. Like running on the beach.

Desormeaux knew he had no chance before they hit the stretch so he eased BB to the wire. Had he thought he was hurt he would have pulled him up and got off as soon as he could.

Could have been the heat, could have been the track, maybe just wasn't his day.

Nice to see a crowd of over 120,000 show up.

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Posted By: Anonymous

Nobody mentions the bad ride choked the horse down for close to a mile in extreme heat and then expects him to run when let loose. No wonder he had no more clients in california and left for NY. Dutrow will not let him within a mile of big brown and will use Edgar Prado if the horse ever runs again.

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Posted By: CN

It is ironic that Big Brown has already been reportedly sold for 50 millions to stud. I agree with an earlier post that Spectaculat Bid was the best horse that lost the Belmont but that was in 1979. On a side note I was not there today but was present when Funny Cide and Smarty Jones lost and I rank those races up with the 1986 and 2000 World Series and game 7 of the 2006 NLCS as far as fan excitement. Nothing will surpass came 7 of the 1994 Rangers which I was lucky to be in MSG for .CN

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Posted By: Jon Canfield

I was at the track today to watch the breakdown - heat was unbearable - track temp was 97 degrees and with the heat index, felt much worse. It looked like BB just was too tired and didn't have anything in the tank. Over all though, I had a great time. One of my good friends and co-worker owns Ready's Echo which had a dead-heat for 3rd place.

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Posted By: JimCrandell

In contrast to the sentiment on this board, nice to see such huge attendance at the Belmont.

Well I dropped a couple hundred on the Belmont--took exactly what I won on the Kentucky Derby and Belmont and dropped it on the nose of Big Brown.

This horse was a super horse every other race he ran--don't know why he didn't run today.

Can't wait to see a Big Brown-Curlin match-up.

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Posted By: Jeff Lichtman

Jim, I really doubt BB was a super horse. His times were not eye-popping in either of the first two races and he had the worst finish for a Kentucky Derby winner in the Belmont -- despite being the biggest favorite ever. And all of this against inferior competition. In the end, one has to wonder if BB wasn't just a product of steroids. Maybe yesterday's big flop will finally cause the racehorsing industry to outlaw steroids and other chemicals which may be providing skewered results.

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Posted By: Dave Haas

Big Brown trained about an hour away from me in Ocala, Florida. He should be used to the heat and humidity. I just figure the owners couldn't win any money at 1-4 so they bet on the 38-1 horse. They already had sold breeding rights for BB for $50 million.

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Posted By: MVSNYC

"...Kent D's reaction after he hopped off BB today: no concern or interest in his horse, just total disappointment and disgust."

Jeff- i actually noticed the same thing...i was expecting him to go around front, and pet/comfort him (somewhat)...he barely pet him on his side after he got off...i thought that was strange too. but i do have to say that Kent (in his past interviews) seems very concerned about the horses he rides, and has a connection with them.

overall the race was a dissapointment, and it seemed like (on TV anyway) that Belmont was silenced as they came down the stretch...

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Posted By: Bob

Wonder how many $2 win tickets were purchased in bundles to sell later as memorabilia for a Triple Crown winner?

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Posted By: Cobby33

Another reason why this "sport" should be banned.

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Posted By: davidcycleback

Change perhaps, but there's no reason to ban horse racing. Race horses love to run, and that's a fact. I know polo horses love to play polo and get excited when you start taping their legs, as they know that's what happens before they play polo. A friend of my dad owned polo horses and said whenever you took the horses out for a ride, they'd want to go over to the polo fields.

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Posted By: Jeff Lichtman

David, do horses also like to be shot full of steroids and whipped around a track?

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Posted By: Cobby33

Jeff- You forgot the part about being ridden by a midget, but I suppose some people are into that.

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Posted By: paulstratton

I have read that steroids will probably be banned in horse racing sometime next year. As far as the whipping goes, I don't think smacking an animal that large with a shoe horn hurts them, but since they can't talk we'll never know.