Big Brown is a retired champion American
ThoroughbredThe Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
racehorseHorse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
and winner of the
2008 Kentucky DerbyThe 2008 Kentucky Derby was the 134th running of the Kentucky Derby. The race took place on May 3, 2008 with 157,770 in attendance, the second largest in Derby history. Post time was 6:15 p.m. EDT and was televised in the United States on the NBC television network.Big Brown won the race by nearly...
and
2008 Preakness StakesThe 2008 Preakness Stakes was the 133rd running of the Preakness Stakes. The race time was 6:15 pm EDT and was televised in the United States on the NBC television network. Big Brown, the 1-5 favorite, was the winner by 5 lengths over Macho Again...
. Bred by Dr. Gary B. Knapp's Monticule Farms in
Lexington, KentuckyLexington is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 63rd largest in the US. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region...
, he won his first five race starts. He was sired by
Grade IIIA graded stakes race is a term applied since 1973 by the American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association to thoroughbred horse races in the United States and Canada to describe races that derive their name from the stake, or entry fee, owners must pay...
winner Boundary, a son of
North American Champion sireThe list below shows the leading sire of Thoroughbred racehorses in North America for each year since 1830. This is determined by the amount of prizemoney won by the sire's progeny during the year...
DanzigDanzig was an American Thoroughbred racehorse who is best known as a leading sire. He was purchased for $310,000 by Henryk de Kwiatkowski at the 1978 Saratoga Yearling Sale...
, a son of
Northern DancerNorthern Dancer was a Canadian-bred Thoroughbred racehorse and the most successful sire of the 20th Century. The National Thoroughbred Racing Association calls him "one of the most influential sires in Thoroughbred history"....
. Big Brown's dam was Mien, also a granddaughter of Northern Dancer through her sire,
NureyevNureyev was a Kentucky-bred Thoroughbred racehorse and champion sire. As a racehorse he was best known as the disqualified "winner" of the 2000 Guineas in 1980.-Background:...
.
Two-year-old campaign
Big Brown, named by his owner in honor of
UPSUnited Parcel Service, Inc. , typically referred to by the acronym UPS, is a package delivery company. Headquartered in Sandy Springs, Georgia, United States, UPS delivers more than 15 million packages a day to 6.1 million customers in more than 220 countries and territories around the...
, was purchased by
BrooklynBrooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
,
New YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
trucking company owner Paul Pompa, Jr. for $190,000 at the
Keeneland SalesThe Keeneland Sales is an American Thoroughbred auction house in Lexington, Kentucky founded in 1935 as a nonprofit racing/auction entity on 147 acres of farmland west of Lexington, which had been owned by Jack O. Keene...
2007 April Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale. Pompa turned him over to
trainerIn horse racing, a trainer prepares a horse for races, with responsibility for exercising it, getting it race-ready and determining which races it should enter...
Patrick Reynolds for race conditioning. Ridden by
Jeremy RoseJeremy Rose is an American Thoroughbred racehorse jockey. He began his career as a professional rider at Delaware Park in Wilmington, Delaware and in 2001 was his breakout year and he was voted the United States' Eclipse Award for Outstanding Apprentice Jockey.In 2005, Rose guided Afleet Alex, to...
, the colt made his two-year-old racing debut on September 3, 2007 at
Saratoga Race CourseSaratoga Race Course is a Thoroughbred horse racing track in Saratoga Springs, New York, United States. It opened on August 3, 1863, and is the oldest organized sporting venue of any kind in the United States. It is typically open for racing from late July through early September.-History:John...
in
Saratoga Springs, New YorkSaratoga Springs, also known as simply Saratoga, is a city in Saratoga County, New York, United States. The population was 26,586 at the 2010 census. The name reflects the presence of mineral springs in the area. While the word "Saratoga" is known to be a corruption of a Native American name, ...
, running away from the field and winning by lengths. Pompa then sold an interest in Big Brown to IEAH Stables, a subsidiary of International Equine Acquisitions Holdings, Inc., whose stated purpose is to create and manage an Equity Horse Fund, which will operate as a hedge fund. The new partnership sent the horse to the
Palm Meadows Thoroughbred Training CenterPalm Meadows Thoroughbred Training Center is an American stable and training facility for Thoroughbred racehorses located near Boynton Beach, Florida, just north of the Gulfstream Park racetrack. It is owned by MI Developments Inc. who built it at a cost of $90 million...
in South Florida under the care of new trainer,
Rick DutrowRichard E. "Rick" Dutrow, Jr. is an American thoroughbred racehorse trainer. Known as Rick, his brother Anthony Dutrow is also a trainer. Their father, Richard E. Dutrow, Sr., was one of Maryland racing's "Big Four" who dominated racing in that state during the 1960s and '70s and who helped...
.
2008 allowance
Unraced for more than six months, Big Brown debuted as a three-year-old with a 12-length win in an allowance race at
Gulfstream ParkGulfstream Park Racing & Casino is a racetrack and county-approved racino in Hallandale Beach, Florida, in the United States. During its annual meet, which spans December through April, it is one of the most important venues for horse racing in America....
. Big Brown was ridden by
Kent DesormeauxKent Jason Desormeaux is an American thoroughbred horse racing Hall of Fame jockey who holds the U.S. record for most races won in a single year, 1989.-Brief biography:...
.
2008 Florida Derby
Entered in the Grade 1
Florida DerbyThe Florida Derby is an American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old horses held annually at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida on the Saturday closest to the end of March or the first of April. Added to the racing schedule in 1952, the Grade 1 race is run at 1⅛ miles on the dirt...
, Big Brown drew the outside
starting gateA starting gate is a machine used in horse racing and dog racing to ensure a fair start in a race.-Thoroughbred/quarter horse racing:...
, 12. Despite his
barrierA starting barrier ensures a fair start to races such as horse races or dog races.- Horse racing :Throughout the history of horse racing, there have been proposals as to how better to start a race. A commonly used starting system for horse races was devised in the mid nineteenth century by Admiral...
draw, under jockey
Kent DesormeauxKent Jason Desormeaux is an American thoroughbred horse racing Hall of Fame jockey who holds the U.S. record for most races won in a single year, 1989.-Brief biography:...
Big Brown won by five lengths.
134th Kentucky Derby
On May 3, 2008, in his fourth race, the
2008 Kentucky DerbyThe 2008 Kentucky Derby was the 134th running of the Kentucky Derby. The race took place on May 3, 2008 with 157,770 in attendance, the second largest in Derby history. Post time was 6:15 p.m. EDT and was televised in the United States on the NBC television network.Big Brown won the race by nearly...
, Big Brown was the 2–1 favorite. He became the first horse since 1929 to win the race from the 20th starting gate
http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/horse/triplecrown08/news/story?id=3380081, winning by lengths over
fillyA filly is a young female horse too young to be called a mare. There are several specific definitions in use.*In most cases filly is a female horse under the age of four years old....
Eight BellesEight Belles was a thoroughbred racehorse owned by Rick Porter's Fox Hill Farms. She finished second to winner Big Brown in the 134th running of the Kentucky Derby held at Churchill Downs, a race run by only thirty-nine fillies in the past...
, who was
euthanisedAnimal euthanasia is the act of putting to death painlessly or allowing to die, as by withholding extreme medical measures, an animal suffering from an incurable, especially a painful, disease or condition. Euthanasia methods are designed to cause minimal pain and distress...
after breaking both front
fetlockFetlock is the common name for the metacarpophalangeal and metatarsophalangeal joints of horses, large animals, and sometimes dogs. It is formed by the junction of the third metacarpal or metatarsal bones proximad and the proximal phalanx distad...
s during the post-race cool-down. The time for the 1¼ mile race was 2:01.92. The official
Beyer Speed FigureThe Beyer Speed Figure is a system for rating the performance of Thoroughbred racehorses in North America designed in the early 1970s by Andrew Beyer, the syndicated horse racing columnist for The Washington Post...
for the race was 109.
Rick DutrowRichard E. "Rick" Dutrow, Jr. is an American thoroughbred racehorse trainer. Known as Rick, his brother Anthony Dutrow is also a trainer. Their father, Richard E. Dutrow, Sr., was one of Maryland racing's "Big Four" who dominated racing in that state during the 1960s and '70s and who helped...
admitted that he administers
stanozololStanozolol, commonly sold under the name Winstrol , Tenabol and Winstrol Depot , was developed by Winthrop Laboratories in 1962...
, an
anabolic steroidAnabolic steroids, technically known as anabolic-androgen steroids or colloquially simply as "steroids", are drugs that mimic the effects of testosterone and dihydrotestosterone in the body. They increase protein synthesis within cells, which results in the buildup of cellular tissue ,...
, to his horses, including Big Brown, on the 15th of every month. However, Dutrow stated to
ESPNEntertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
that Big Brown did not take the May 15th shot for the Belmont Stakes. Stanozolol is banned in 10 states but not in any of the states where the Triple Crown races are held.
133rd Preakness Stakes
On May 17, 2008, in his fifth race, the
2008 Preakness StakesThe 2008 Preakness Stakes was the 133rd running of the Preakness Stakes. The race time was 6:15 pm EDT and was televised in the United States on the NBC television network. Big Brown, the 1-5 favorite, was the winner by 5 lengths over Macho Again...
, Big Brown came from the seven post and won the second leg of the
Triple CrownThe Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing consists of three races for three-year-old Thoroughbred horses. Winning all three of these Thoroughbred horse races is considered the greatest accomplishment of a Thoroughbred racehorse...
by lengths over
Macho AgainMacho Again is a retired American thoroughbred stallion racehorse. He was sired by the 2000 American Champion Two-Year-Old Colt Macho Uno, who in turn was a son of leading sire Holy Bull. He is out of the mare Go Donna Go, who is the daughter of Wild Again.Macho Again got his start as a...
, becoming the fourth horse to win both the
Kentucky DerbyThe Kentucky Derby is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred horses, held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The race is one and a quarter mile at Churchill Downs. Colts and geldings carry...
and the Preakness while remaining undefeated. Big Brown was the 1–5 favorite. The final time of the 1 3/16 mile race was 1:54.80.
140th Belmont Stakes
On the Friday following the Preakness, a three-inch
quarter crackA quarter crack is a term used by horsemen to describe a vertical split in a horse hoof wall at or about the quarter or widest part of the hoof. Quarter cracks are not an uncommon injury in horses worked extensively in horseshoes....
was discovered on the horse's left front
hoofA horse hoof is a structure surrounding the distal phalanx of the 3rd digit of each of the four limbs of Equus species, which is covered by complex soft tissue and keratinised structures...
, the same injury that he experienced in both of his front hooves the previous
fallAutumn is one of the four temperate seasons. Autumn marks the transition from summer into winter usually in September or March when the arrival of night becomes noticeably earlier....
.
With Dutrow referring to the injury as "just a little hiccup" and with the crack stitched together with steel wire, Big Brown resumed jogging at Belmont the following Tuesday.
For the Belmont Stakes, Big Brown wore a second set of stainless steel sutures on the inside of his hoof. Hoof specialist Ian McKinlay changed the sutures a week before the race and attached an acrylic and fiberglass adhesive patch to the hoof. Although Big Brown missed three days of training prior to the race, his gait and attitude seemed unaffected. After the crack was patched, Brown was exercised by rider Michelle Nevin. Ian McKinlay said, prior to the Belmont, that Big Brown "does not need a patch on the quarter crack on his left front hoof until the morning of the Belmont Stakes. So Dutrow will give Big Brown his final hard workout Tuesday to breeze five furlongs without it and gallop him into the race confident the colt’s tender hoof is healed."
Big Brown went off as the 3-10 favorite in the
BelmontThe 2008 Belmont Stakes was the 140th running of the Belmont Stakes. The race was won by Da'Tara, who led the race wire to wire. Da'Tara had 38-1 odds, making the win a monumental upset. Big Brown, the favorite who won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, finished in last place, a first for any...
. He was rank in the early stages of the race, and nearly ran up on the heels of eventual winner
Da' TaraDa' Tara is an American thoroughbred racehorse who won the 2008 Belmont Stakes in an upset over Big Brown. Da' Tara was a 38-1 underdog entering the post at Belmont. He is trained by Nick Zito, his jockey is Alan Garcia, and his sire is Tiznow....
. Then Desormeaux tried to swing Big Brown to the outside during the first turn and bumped into
Tale of EkatiTale of Ekati is a retired Canadian Thoroughbred racehorse. The brown colt's sire is Tale of the Cat by leading sire Storm Cat...
. Da' Tara won the race by 5¼ lengths while Big Brown finished ninth, becoming the first Triple Crown hopeful to finish last in the Belmont.
Kent DesormeauxKent Jason Desormeaux is an American thoroughbred horse racing Hall of Fame jockey who holds the U.S. record for most races won in a single year, 1989.-Brief biography:...
pulled the horse up in the homestretch, later saying something was amiss and stating immediately after the race, "I had no horse" although no physical abnormality was ever found. Billy Turner, the trainer of
Seattle SlewSeattle Slew was an American Thoroughbred race horse who won the United States Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing in 1977, the tenth of eleven horses to accomplish the feat. He remains the only horse to win the Triple Crown while undefeated. In the Blood-Horse magazine List of the Top 100 U.S...
, later stated, "If Desormeaux had pulled up a horse like that in my day, the Stewards would have ran you out of the state and told you to never come back." Two weeks after the Belmont, a picture revealed a dislodged shoe on Big Brown's right hind leg that could have been the cause of his poor performance. The shoe might have come loose during the race and gotten pushed back in while he was running.
2008 Haskell Invitational Handicap
Big Brown returned to racing on August 3, 2008 with a win in the $1 million
Haskell Invitational HandicapThe Resorts Casino & Hotel Haskell Invitational is an American Grade I race for thoroughbred horses. In 1968, the Board of Directors of Monmouth Park Racetrack in Oceanport, New Jersey honored its former President and Chairman Amory L. Haskell with the Amory L. Haskell Handicap, a race for older...
at Monmouth Park. He took the lead out of the gate, but was passed by Coal Play rounding the final turn, it looked as if Coal Play was going to pull off an upset, but Big Brown dug in and passed him in the final strides to win by 1¾ lengths. He earned a
Beyer Speed FigureThe Beyer Speed Figure is a system for rating the performance of Thoroughbred racehorses in North America designed in the early 1970s by Andrew Beyer, the syndicated horse racing columnist for The Washington Post...
of 107 for his win.
2008 Monmouth Stakes
Big Brown won his next start in the
Monmouth StakesThe Monmouth Stakes is an American thoroughbred horse race on turf at Monmouth Park Racetrack in Oceanport, New Jersey. It took place for the first time on September 13, 2008...
on September 13 in preparation for the Breeders' Cup Classic. It was his first start on grass since breaking his maiden in 2007 and his first start against older horses. Breaking quickly from post 4, Big Brown opened a sizeable lead down the backstretch. The field began to catch up to him entering the far turn, and as Proudinsky edged up to his neck, Big Brown dug in gamely and held on for a ½ length victory.
Major awards
He was awarded the
Eclipse AwardThe Eclipse Award is an American thoroughbred horse racing award named after the 18th century British racehorse and sire, Eclipse. The Eclipse Awards, honoring the champions of the sport, are sponsored by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association , Daily Racing Form and the National Turf Writers...
as American Champion Three-Year-Old Male Horse for 2008.
Race Data
| Finish |
Race |
Distance |
Jockey |
Time |
Victory Margin (in lengths) |
Runner up |
Track |
Surface |
Date |
| 1st |
Maiden |
mi |
Jeremy RoseJeremy Rose is an American Thoroughbred racehorse jockey. He began his career as a professional rider at Delaware Park in Wilmington, Delaware and in 2001 was his breakout year and he was voted the United States' Eclipse Award for Outstanding Apprentice Jockey.In 2005, Rose guided Afleet Alex, to...
|
1:40.33 |
|
Dr. Cal |
Saratoga Race CourseSaratoga Race Course is a Thoroughbred horse racing track in Saratoga Springs, New York, United States. It opened on August 3, 1863, and is the oldest organized sporting venue of any kind in the United States. It is typically open for racing from late July through early September.-History:John...
|
Turf |
9/3/07 |
| 1st |
Allowance |
1 mi |
Kent DesormeauxKent Jason Desormeaux is an American thoroughbred horse racing Hall of Fame jockey who holds the U.S. record for most races won in a single year, 1989.-Brief biography:...
|
1:35.66 |
12 |
Heaven's Awesome |
Gulfstream ParkGulfstream Park Racing & Casino is a racetrack and county-approved racino in Hallandale Beach, Florida, in the United States. During its annual meet, which spans December through April, it is one of the most important venues for horse racing in America....
|
Dirt |
3/5/08 |
| 1st |
Florida DerbyThe Florida Derby is an American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old horses held annually at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida on the Saturday closest to the end of March or the first of April. Added to the racing schedule in 1952, the Grade 1 race is run at 1⅛ miles on the dirt...
|
mi |
Kent Desormeaux |
1:48.16 |
5 |
Smooth Air |
Gulfstream Park |
Dirt |
3/29/08 |
| 1st |
Kentucky Derby The Kentucky Derby is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred horses, held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The race is one and a quarter mile at Churchill Downs. Colts and geldings carry...
|
mi |
Kent Desormeaux |
2:01.82 |
|
Eight BellesEight Belles was a thoroughbred racehorse owned by Rick Porter's Fox Hill Farms. She finished second to winner Big Brown in the 134th running of the Kentucky Derby held at Churchill Downs, a race run by only thirty-nine fillies in the past...
|
Churchill DownsChurchill Downs, located in Central Avenue in south Louisville, Kentucky, United States, is a Thoroughbred racetrack most famous for hosting the Kentucky Derby annually. It officially opened in 1875, and held the first Kentucky Derby and the first Kentucky Oaks in the same year. Churchill Downs...
|
Dirt |
5/3/08 |
| 1st |
Preakness The Preakness Stakes is an American flat Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds held on the third Saturday in May each year at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. It is a Grade I race run over a distance of 9.5 furlongs on dirt. Colts and geldings carry 126 pounds ; fillies 121 lb...
|
mi |
Kent Desormeaux |
1:54.80 |
|
Macho Again Macho Again is a retired American thoroughbred stallion racehorse. He was sired by the 2000 American Champion Two-Year-Old Colt Macho Uno, who in turn was a son of leading sire Holy Bull. He is out of the mare Go Donna Go, who is the daughter of Wild Again.Macho Again got his start as a...
|
Pimlico Race CoursePimlico Race Course is a horse racetrack in Baltimore, Maryland, most famous for hosting the Preakness Stakes. Its name is derived from the 1660s when English settlers named the area where the facility currently stands in honor of Olde Ben Pimlico's Tavern in London...
|
Dirt |
5/17/08 |
| DNF |
Belmont Stakes The Belmont Stakes is an American Grade I stakes Thoroughbred horse race held every June at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is a 1.5-mile horse race, open to three year old Thoroughbreds. Colts and geldings carry a weight of 126 pounds ; fillies carry 121 pounds...
|
mi |
Kent Desormeaux |
N/A |
N/A |
Da' Tara Da' Tara is an American thoroughbred racehorse who won the 2008 Belmont Stakes in an upset over Big Brown. Da' Tara was a 38-1 underdog entering the post at Belmont. He is trained by Nick Zito, his jockey is Alan Garcia, and his sire is Tiznow....
(1st) |
Belmont ParkBelmont Park is a major thoroughbred horse-racing facility located in Elmont in the Town of Hempstead in Nassau County, New York, on Long Island adjoining New York City. It first opened on May 4, 1905...
|
Dirt |
6/7/08 |
| 1st |
Haskell Invitational |
mi |
Kent Desormeaux |
1:48.31 |
|
Coal Play |
Monmouth Park |
Dirt |
8/3/08 |
| 1st |
Monmouth StakesThe Monmouth Stakes is an American thoroughbred horse race on turf at Monmouth Park Racetrack in Oceanport, New Jersey. It took place for the first time on September 13, 2008...
|
mi |
Kent Desormeaux |
1:47.41 |
|
Proudinsky |
Monmouth Park |
Turf |
9/13/08 |
Injury and retirement
While working out with stablemate
Kip DevilleKip Deville was an American Thoroughbred racehorse whose most important win came at age four in the 2007 Breeders' Cup Mile. Bred in Oklahoma by Dr...
on October 13, Big Brown sustained an injury to a hind hoof and was declared out of the
Breeders' Cup ClassicThe Breeders' Cup Classic is a Grade I Weight for Age thoroughbred horse race for 3 year olds and older run at a distance of 1¼ miles on dirt. It is held annually at a different racetrack as part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships...
and retired.
Stud record
Beginning in 2009, Big Brown stood at
studA stud animal is a registered animal retained for breeding. The terms for the male of a given animal species usually imply that the animal is entire—that is, not castrated—and therefore capable of siring offspring...
at
Three Chimneys FarmThree Chimneys Farm is an American thoroughbred race horse breeding farm in Midway, Kentucky established in 1972 by Mr. & Mrs. Robert N. Clay. Widely known as one of the world's preeminent horse farms, Three Chimneys has been home to a number of famous horses including U.S. Triple Crown champion...
in
Midway, KentuckyMidway is a city in Woodford County, Kentucky, United States. Its population was 1,620 at the 2000 census. It is located midway between Frankfort and Lexington along the single-track railroad between them. It is part of the Lexington-Fayette Metropolitan Statistical Area. The town is home to a...
. He was bred to more than 100 mares his first season, including 71 stakes mares or stakes producers. The first reported foal for Big Brown was a filly out of Impressive Attire (by
Seeking the GoldSeeking The Gold is an American thoroughbred Stallion racehorse. He was sired by the leading stud, Mr. Prospector, who in turn was a son of Raise a Native, out of the mare, Con Game....
) born on January 12, 2010 at Swifty Farms in Seymour, Indiana.
Tabulated pedigree
External links