Big Brown grinds it out against Coal Play to win the 2008 Haskell Invitational
Big Brown had to earn it in the stretch, but ultimately overcame longshot Coal Play to win in the $1 million Grade 1 Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park on Sunday. The win marked a triumphant return for the one time Triple Crown hopefull who was pulled up and not allowed to finish in the Belmont Stakes.
Sent off as the overwhelming favorite at 1/5, Big Brown just behind Coal Play throughout the early going. Coal Play lead the field through early fractions of 23.05 and 46.59. Turning for home it looked like Coal Play might be able to steal the race from Big Brown. Jockey Kent Desormeaux had to urge Big Brown to give him everything he had. There for a moment, the future of Big Brown’s legacy stood on the line.
Big Brown found something he had never had to find before, the ability to look a runner in the eye and take them over in the stretch. His previous victories had all been so crushing and so dominating that we had no idea if he had the kind of guts great horses have in the stretch. Admittedly he was facing a longshot, but Coal Play ran a big race and I think you have to give him credit for making Big Brown earn it.
Covering the 1 1/8 Miles of the Haskell in 1:48.31, Big Brown’s connections will now plot the colts next move. Trainer Rick Dutrow and owner Michael Iavarone of IEAH Stables have both indicated that the Breeder’s Cup Classic at Santa Anita this October is the top prize they have their sights set on.
For fans the question now becomes whether the Big Brown we saw in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness has returned, or if he’s still a shade off his peek form? I think it’s worth pointing out the obvious comparison that Curlin returned from his 2007 Triple Crown campaign a bit worn for the wear and looked rustier than we have seen him since in last year’s Haskell, losing to Any Given Saturday and Hard Spun.
I’m not much for such non linear comparisons, but for the sake of argument I think it’s worth pointing out that Curlin had to race hard in his 3 Triple Crown contests, whereas Big Brown should’ve been a bit more fresh today having had an easy time of things in the Preakness and then not finishing the Belmont.
With an announcement pending on Curlin’s future plans later in the week, Big Brown’s victory in the Haskell has set up a possible match up of the top dirt horses in the U.S. in the Grade 1 Goodwood on 9/27. We’ll have to see how the cards fall into place for this one.
Big Brown’s career earnings were boosted to $3,314,500 with today’s win. The colt is slated to begin his stud career in 2009. A crowd of 44,000 was on hand to cheer on the Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner in his return.
Chart: http://www.equibase.com/static/chart/pdf/MTH080308USA13.pdf
Coal Play
Cool Coal Cold Play Man.
kevin i don`t think this horse will handk\le older horses even if curlin goes overseas. that race yesterday had to take a lot out of him. and now he runs with no meds. maybe lol. GLC
Like Randy Moss said on the ESPN Classic broadcast, look for Big Brown and Commentator to meet in the Masscap at Suffolk Downs on 9/20.
The race by Coal Play is very similar to a race by 3YO in 2006 at Keeneland, before it was converted to synthetics. There was a horse named Sinister Minister that ran very similar fractions, ran gate-to-wire and destroyed the field with a 116 Beyer by 12 lengths!. Only to never really win another major race again. The deference here was that although Coal Play as Sinister did, freaked, (ran the race of his life), he was caught by a great champion in Big Brown. Those last 70 years were huge. This horse proved he’s still the real deal. No question he can improve from this win. BTW, the Classic is shaping up to be sub par this year and will probably be won by a synthetics specialist. Look for the Classic to be won by a west coast horse this year, or best case from east coast would be synthetics proven Go between…
On a separate subject, I saw where Lawyer Ron was back in training? He had a recent published work. Is this true? I always liked that warrior. He was a tired horse last October, ran brilliantly during last 2007 spring / summer, but lost energy in the fall and ran into multiple young 3YO monsters in the classic. Maybe the connections are putting something together to get him in late so he’s fresh for the Classic? Who are the connections now anyway? Love to see him come back.
BMC
Apologize for some of the typos – they’ve been fixed. Dang that stuff bothers me. It was a marathon day of handicapping as I also played Del Mar. Needed that $130 pick 4 at Del Mar after getting knocked out at Monmouth.
What’s this? Lawyer Ron is back in training? I must’ve missed that. Last I had heard he was retireed and standing stud. I know his owner passed away. He was last trained by Pletcher if memory serves.
I think Big Brown can move forward as well. I still feel he’ll have to define himself if/when he ever faces a truly solid field, but I’d think he’s more than capable of moving forward off that effort.
Lawyer Ron is comfortably at stud; occassionally Equibase’s Virtual Stable inadvertedly publishes incorrect info, like labeling Tale of Ekati as on the road to the BC Ladies Classic. Someone brought this up over at the DRF Form Blog recently about the Lawyer Ron error.
Sorry, Kevin, but I don’t share your optimism about Big Brown. It was visually clear that he is not the same horse. I suspect there is something physically (or mentally) wrong that has not yet been uncovered, especially the way he bore out in the stretch. I will be surprised if he runs again. At the very least, he needs a trainer and/or jockey change if he is healthy, because his current connections are obviously not doing right by him. Curlin definitely has NOTHING to worry about.
What is really disappointing to me is all this talk about Big Brown and not nearly the same amount of love towards Zenyatta…or Proud Spell, Indian Blessing, Music Note, Ginger Punch, and any number of other extremely talented fillies and mares who are currently the BEST SHOW in America! If J Be K and Harlem Rocker lined up against Indian Blessing and Music Note, those girls would give them hell. Ditto Zenyatta and Ginger Punch against any and all the “top” 3-year-old colts/geldings and even older routers on dirt. Too bad American racing is so backward about running the sexes against one another. Now THAT would be some special.
Valerie,
Thanks for the clarification on Lawyer…
You are so correct on the ladies! This year the class is with the F&M divisions and in the Friday Card of the Breeders Cup Championships. I’m so convinced of this, that I am going to Santa Anita race track only for the Friday event (Ist Day), F&M’s and watching the 2nd day Males at either home or at Vessels Club in Cypress, CA, cause I’m thinking Curlin is not coming west to defend his title. The ladies card will be building up even more drama over the next 60 days. Even without my beloved Nashoba’s Key, the strength of the F&M Turf and Distaff, now referred to as the Ladies Classic, will be loaded with outstanding talent. To think we lost two tremendous fillies, Eight Belles and Nashoba’s Key to a freak event and a bad choice of a race by a certain trainer and there still is outstanding talent in those fields is a testament to how deep and talented the F&M are this year across the board. BTW, you won’t see John Shirreffs putting this great filly Zanyatta against the boys, he got too much class and love for his prized filly, who was once an ugly duckling that was pick up by a prince, who saw beyond her coat and skin disease, took care of her and as a result, has blossomed into the undefeated champion filly she is today. If she wins her last two races, she could compete with Curlin for Horse of the Year honors which is something pretty unique, considering Zanyatta, went to Oaklawn Park (Dirt) last spring and beat a pretty darn good champion named Ginger Punch.
BMC
No doubt the ladies are sensational right now. Zenyatta is my girl all the way. I Gave her out in my first handicapping selections here back when she was a maiden and have followed her closely ever since. I joke with Amy whenever she’s (Zenyatta) racing that I’ll be automatically singling her on the pick 4/pick 6. I call that “taking her to the prom.”
I’m just hoping he’s (Big Brown) still able to come back as something like he was. I’m actually expecting Curlin’s connections to keep him on the grass. I just don’t see what they’d have to gain by going back to dirt. Heck, the DRF has him listed as the #3 U.S. Turf horse, and Red Rocks at #1 with the comment “won the best U.S. Turf race of the year so far”
On a side note. Started watching some replays of the 2007 Triple Crown races. Can you imagine if instead of a front running Da’ Tara or Coal Play, Big Brown had to contest with the likes of Hard Spun – with Curin and Street Sense coming form behind late? It’s just two totally different worlds from ‘07 and ‘08.
Dude! Have you seen all this Curlin-Big Brown drama released in the past couple hours?
Of course.
I’m just waiting on Jess Jackson’s announcement so I can do a definitive post on where Curlin is going.
Is anyone surprised that poor little Dickie Dutrow who was moping around like an emo-kid until his horse won the Haskell is now back to being a pompous ass?
Dickey – that was a no-name longshot you were all out to catch – not Hard Spun, not Any Given Saturday, and most certainly not anything of Rags to Riches caliber.
The answer is that Zito got Coal Play to run off that last layoff and maybe the jockey switch helped too. BB ran a carbon copy of his Derby win which is about Gr-2 par for older males.
kevin you guys are starting to catch on dutrow is a medicine man and not a great trainer he has all the trends that mullins has on the west coast. they get ok horses and make them better through the use of steroids. the horse gets good for a while but goes bad swiftly. i have only really been looking at new york racing for a short time but i see some trainers who are suspect to the dutrow way of doing things. short of a long rest big brown will go in the toilet soon. a trainer change would be nice to. how about chug or bobby or sheriffs who is the best in usa………GLC
kevin horse to watch in california a sherriffs colt scarbourgh fair next time. trust me. lol……………..GLC
Rick Dutrow really turned some heads after the race to ESPN…..
And Rich purloff gave some quotes from Dutrow in todays racing form..
putting down Curlin all the way…………………I don’t think Big Brown is quite
the same horse—–That’s the way I see it—–
[...] of this Curlin talk coupled with Big Brown’s victory in the Haskell on Sunday seems to have brought back the old Rick Dutrow and reignited the Curlin vs Big Brown talk. [...]
Well said, Don – a G2 time! I love it.
@Gerald – Scarborough Fair – I’ve got my eye on that one as well.
@Gregg – I was trying like mad to get an email read on Perloff’s show – but kept emailing his personal address rather than the shows. That was a great show today – lots of discussion and debate with the viewers. Obviously I’m on Curlin’s side in any BB/Curlin conversation.