Big Brown Arrives In New York For The 2008 Belmont Stakes

Posted on Monday, May 19th, 2008

IEAH Stables and Paul Pompa Jr.’s Big Brown arrived safely at Belmont Park on Monday afternoon, taking in the throng of reporters, photographers and well-wishers with the confident nonchalance he displayed in winning the Kentucky Derby and Preakness.

On June 7, Big Brown will seek to become Thoroughbred racing’s 12th Triple Crown winner when he goes to post in the 140th running of the $1 million Belmont Stakes (gr. I), the “Test of the Champion.”

Once he arrived at Barn 2, Big Brown made himself at home. He munched some hay, awaited for his red, rubber ball to be hung outside of his stall and spent a good part of his time stretching his neck as far as he could to his right to touch noses with a cute chestnut filly named Moonlight Alice.

“He’s already trying to make friends, but he wants her to know she has to win at least one Grade 1 if she is going to have any shot with him,” said Mike Iavarone, co-president of IEAH Stables, who before the Preakness, announced that Big Brown would stand at Robert Clay’s Three Chimneys Farm in Midway, Kentucky. when his racing career is over.

“Seriously, the thing about him that stands out to me the most is his class,” Iavarone continued. “He is the most intelligent horse I have ever seen. He loves people, love all this attention and he loves to run.”

Big Brown, a son of Boundary, will be making only his sixth career start in the 1 1/2-mile Belmont Stakes, the oldest and longest of the Triple Crown races. He is also hoping to join Seattle Slew (1977) as the only horse to win the Triple Crown while undefeated. Seattle Slew was 9-0 after he won the Belmont Stakes.

“I’m confident in this horse because of the way he’s run his races and the level of competition he’s faced,” said trainer Richard Dutrow Jr. on Monday. “He has become so much better than any of them. And, he has trained and raced in cool weather, so he is still a pretty fresh horse. I really don’t expect to do much more than to give him one maintenance breeze and go on to the Belmont Stakes.

“This horse has an aura about him, and people who will come out to watch him race will be in for a thrill.”

Hall of Fame jockey Kent Desormeaux was also among those to welcome Big Brown to Belmont Park.

www.nyra.com

"Big Brown Arrives In New York For The 2008 Belmont Stakes" was posted on Monday, May 19th, 2008 at 11:42 pm and is filed under Horse Racing Industry. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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Comments For "Big Brown Arrives In New York For The 2008 Belmont Stakes"

  1. Wednesday, May 21st, 2008 10:05 am By Thomas L. Thomson

    When is post time for Big Brown at 2008 Bemont Stakes Triple Crown and for which race (number). Danka Schoen.
    TLT

  2. Wednesday, May 21st, 2008 10:37 am By HRNewsman

    The Belmont Stakes post positions and post time are still to be announced. Last year, the Belmont Stakes post time was 6:29pm. So maybe around that time for this year as well?

  3. Sunday, May 25th, 2008 9:41 am By Dr. Helen

    Hi:

    I’d like to get in touch with either Michelle Nevin or Kent Desomeaux about Kent’s son.

    Could you email me about how I might reach anyone from Mr. Desomeaux’s group? Thanks so much.

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