Big Brown's jockey and trainer met to clear the air this morning, a day after the trainer blamed the jockey for the horse's shocking last place finish at the Belmont Stakes.
ESPN's Jeannine Edwards reports that Dutrow and Desormeaux met early this morning at Aqueduct in New York, and Dutrow said afterward that he and Desormeaux are "back on target," adding "I just feel better because he came by to talk about [the Belmont ride]."
Still, Dutrow apparently doesn't feel the need to apologize for anything he said, including blaming Desormeaux for the fact that Big Brown "didn't know what the hell was going on" at the Belmont. Just as Dutrow was widely praised for getting Big Brown in condition to win the Kentucky Derby and Preakness, he's been widely criticized for everything from his brash demeanor to his attitude toward using steroids on horses.
Although Big Brown has a lucrative stud career ahead of him, Dutrow said the horse won't retire just yet: He expects Big Brown to run at the Travers Stakes in August and the Breeders' Cup Classic in October.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
6-14-2008 @ 7:31PM
Dallas Proctor said...
I’m a new racing fan drawn to the sport because of horses like Barbaro and Big Brown. I’m a big fan of Big Brown, win or lose. I want to follow his career to retirement. I want to see him in action but don’t know which race to attend, the Travers or Breeders. Which race would allow me to get close enough to watch him leave the paddock? Which race will be more focused on Big Brown? I’m From Texas, so the airfare is about the same. Just for the record, and maybe it shows my horseracing lack of experience, but my hats off to you both Dutrow & Desormeaux for being associated with such a beautiful animal. And I appreciate you believing in Big Brown as much as did Dutrow, for I would brag and predict him winning too.
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6-12-2008 @ 12:31AM
George B Vieto said...
Good to see Big Brown run a few more races before he leaves the building.
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6-12-2008 @ 6:40AM
georc said...
Shoot'em-up, shoot'em-up, shoot'em-up, then don't shoot him up for the big race don't make a lot of since to me! If you're on a roll you don't change anything in mid stream! Then to blame the jockey for a poor performance is unbelieveable! Way to go DUD-row!!
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6-13-2008 @ 1:13PM
jerry s allison said...
I am an x trainer...that to me was the worst stakes race ride ever...and I was suprised that jerry baily did not mention it after the race ..when you choke a horse 3 times going into the first turn !!!! you are not going to have any horse left at the end!!!periored..and the horse did not know what the hell was going on!!!! they are a creature of habit ..and that was not his habit..Dutrow was right!!!!
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6-12-2008 @ 7:51PM
m heffernan said...
Please, when kent asked Big Brown to run in the last quarter mile he had a clear shot....Big Brown is a great horse...at a mile and a quarter or shorter.Big Brown did not have it his way in the Belmont .....a Triple Crown champion would have been able to come up to the challenge and win. Don't blame the jockey. Big Brown has been so dominant that many expected him to just blow the field away. A true Triple Crown winner would have done that....in the last quarter of a mile.
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6-13-2008 @ 12:40AM
EG said...
Why on earth would Desormeaux, forfeit the race let alone do anything that would prevent Big Brown from winning??? This is a world-class jockey who knows his horse (and had his own good reason for wanting to win). If he suspected something could possibly be wrong with Big Brown, he did the right thing by protecting his horse. Can you imagine had anything happened to Big Brown, the scrutiny that horseracing would have come under? Especially in light of the tragedy that happened with Barabaro and Eight Belles (let alone the steroid issue). Desormeaux wanted to win in order to create a lasting memory for his son. He taught his son an even greater lesson..."Winning isn't everything. Especially at the expense of a great horse." The owners of Big Brown should be thanking Desormeaux.
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6-13-2008 @ 11:53AM
Jan said...
I think after the Belmont, Big Brown should retire. Only Dutrow has something to prove, if the jockey went easy with Big Brown, he had a reason, he said he "had no horse" and that meant he was not going to injure the horse further even if Big Brown was pulling on the bit.
This horse should be retired except for the fact that his pompous trainer, Dutrow, gets more attention paid to him even at the risk of hurting Big Brown further.
After all is said and done, the jockey was in the position to know best, not Rick Dutrow.
Dutrow's actions at the Belmost were childish and rude and his procrastinations proved false. He acted the fool for the whole world to see.
Big Brown should never be raced again.
Jan in Beaver, Utah
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6-13-2008 @ 9:11PM
EG said...
And I am a competitive rider, and I have been the majority of my life. I read your comment earlier regarding Dutrow being "right."
As an ex-trainer, I respect your opinion, but I don't agree. I believe that Desormeaux used his wisdom as a Hall of Fame Jockey and I trust that he did the right thing. EG
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6-17-2008 @ 10:16PM
jerry s allison said...
Did anybody see what happened in the first turn?..If one was a runner, of say 2miles, and you ran it the same time each time..and then I put a rope around your waste and held you back the 1st 100yards how would your time be and would you finish just as strong..Its that simple!!! J.S.A.
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