Horse Racing News is the source of thoroughbred racing information with horse racing odds, betting tips, racing picks, race results, and handicapping. Latest news and articles on top horse racing contenders, jockeys, trainers, three-year-olds, race tracks, and major stakes races such as the Triple Crown races: the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes as well as the Breeders' Cup horse races.Triple Crown Hopeful Big Brown Had Final Work For The Belmont Stakes
Posted on Tuesday, June 3rd, 2008
Triple Crown hopeful Big Brown had his final work for the June 7 Belmont Stakes Tuesday morning at Belmont Park, after which horse trainer Richard Dutrow, Jr. said the colt “couldn’t be any better.”
Under exercise rider Michelle Nevin, the big bay colt went onto the main track at Belmont Park shortly after the break, and worked five furlongs in 1:00.03. New York Racing Association clockers caught the Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner in splits of :23 3/5 and :35 1/5, galloping out six furlongs in 1:14 2/5.
“I feel as good as I can possibly feel about Big Brown,” said Dutrow. “I feel very good. I was not expecting to see anything other than what we saw, but still, you’ve got to go through it. We jumped over a big hurdle today and I feel very good.”
“As long as you get one breeze in him, that’s fine,” he added. “That’s all we were looking for when we left Baltimore, just one breeze. We don’t need for him to get on his belly, we don’t need to do anything different, special, nothing like that. It’s all simple stuff.”
Back at the barn, after looking at the quarter-crack in the colt’s left front hoof, Dutrow called hoof specialist Ian McKinlay, who is scheduled to place an acrylic and fiberglass patch on the hoof Friday, and said he told him “everything was beautiful.”
“I said that he went good and I didn’t see any issue at all,” said the trainer. “It was just what we wanted and I think it’s just what he (Big Brown) wanted, too.”
Nevin said Big Brown, who is attempting to become racing’s 12th Triple Crown winner and the first in 30 years on Saturday, was “pretty strong” during his work.
“He’s been galloping a little rough, wanting to do more,” she said. “He was pretty strong today just because he was ready to go. I am very, very happy with the way he went, and I am relieved it is over.”
Dutrow said Big Brown would walk Wednesday morning, jog Thursday morning, gallop Friday morning, and run on Saturday in the 1 1/2 mile Belmont Stakes, the longest race in the Triple Crown series. The trainer remained supremely confident that Big Brown would become the first horse since Affirmed in 1978 to win all three races.
“He is by far the best horse in the race,” he said. “I’ve seen him run and I’ve seen the other horses run. It’s simple.”
Dutrow said he was not concerned about the distance of the Belmont Stakes, which is 5/16ths of a mile longer than the Preakness and a quarter-mile longer than the Kentucky Derby, nor was he concerned about the post position, which will be drawn Wednesday morning. Eight other 3-year-olds are expected to challenge him in the Belmont Stakes, which will be run for the 140th time.
“I would like to draw outside, but the post position isn’t going to get him beat,” said Dutrow, adding that pace would not be an issue, either.
“If they don’t go, he’ll go,” he said. “If they go, he’ll set… I’ll leave it up to the horse,” Dutrow added.
On Saturday, June 7th, Big Brown is set to make a run at horse racing history at the Belmont Stakes. Bet on his run for the Triple Crown at the Bodog Racebook and get live horse racing odds, weekly rebates, and in depth editorial coverage for the big event. Sign-up at Bodog Racebook and get $100 match-up bonus when you deposit the same amount! This offer is good for new sign-ups only. Use this link to take advantage of this promotion.
The 2008 Belmont Stakes (G1) will be race 11 of 13 in Belmont Park’s June 7 race card. Belmont Stakes post time is 6:25 pm EST.
Edited from www.nyra.com.
Tags: Big Brown
"Triple Crown Hopeful Big Brown Had Final Work For The Belmont Stakes" was posted on Tuesday, June 3rd, 2008 at 11:36 pm and is filed under Belmont Park, Belmont Stakes, Horse Racing Industry, Horses, Race Tracks News, Stakes Races, Triple Crown, USA Horse Racing. 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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