Who Saw The Belmont?

[CarriBrown]

Yeah... that's a real bummer.

Maybe next year.

 

[s6bee]

I watched the race, he got a crappy post, got boxed in, frazzled him, hoof most likely not a problem as much as the heat. It was 93 degrees. Due to the hoof he hadn't been conditioned as much this week but I don't think hoof was the issue. If you think about it, I think that was his 6th race ever, so he's never run in heat like that. Just couldn't handle it. I wish we could have a Triple Crown Winner but I'm more concerned over his health. I'm so tired of seeing the horses breaking down. I know it happens, just seems like it's happening more, I don't know.

 

[GwenFarms]

You also have to remember that he was doped in the past two races, but not this one. It's possible that without the controversial drugs he couldn't run as fast, or that he was suffering some sort of withdrawals.

He just looked terrible. His was out of sync and his hips were so far up under him at some points. I've watched it over and over and I don't think it is injury related. He just couldn't get collected for whatever reason. I spoke with a trainer about it afterwards and he felt the jockey majorly erred at the beginning of the race too and that this may have started things out on the wrong foot.

There has already been talk of the race being thrown...yada..yada. Who knows, I do know Big Brown's owner and his trainer are complicated men, with complicated histories in the industry. We'll just have to see how it plays out.

 

[chicknmania]

There was something wrong with him, he shouldn't have been covered with lather like that, even if it was hot. The jockey thought there was something wrong, too. I didn't notice the other horses lathered up that bad. It's very unfair to the winner when something like this happens though; DaTara was great, he led ALL THE WAY, (and that's a long race) and still finished with a five length lead. But yet, the news media barely recognized him, they were too busy agonizing over Big Brown. Big Brown is a great horse, too....let's pray there's nothing seriously wrong with him...it would just be devastating after everything else that's happened recently.

 

[ozark hen]

The fact that his jockey realized Big Brown was not at his best and pulled him up short is commendable. Looks like perhaps the steroid shots which were stopped after his April 15th injection might have been a factor? We will find out what they want us to know in due time. Might not be the truth though??

 

[chicknmania]

Quote:
I read a story in the local paper about Affirmed and Alydar, and how they ran together every race and were always first and second. The last race they ran, after the Belmont, Alydar finally won, because Affirmed fouled. Affirmed was really a great horse; he had to work really hard to beat Alydar and never beat him beyond like 1.5 lengths. When they both retired to stud they ended up at the same farm for a few years and were in adjacent fields. A neat story,

 

[miss_thenorth]

Quote:
I agree. DaTara won the race, he was strong all the way through, and he barely got the spotlight. I hope big Brown is all right, but DaTara should have got more glory...

 

[thechickman04]

1.5 miles of sprinting can be pretty tough on a horse that has never ran that distance..throw in 95 degree weather..and not being able to train the way he needed to be with the foot problem......he was not lame when the jockey pulled him up...and didnt look to be when he was walking off the track..he didnt seem to be doing good the whole time...he wasnt listening to his jockey and throwing his head up trying to take off the whole race...the jockey knew he wasnt gonna win and didnt want to risk the horses health and pulled him back

 

[ginbart]

IMO, he was going through withdraw. He didn’t get his shot. The trainer said he wanted to show that the horse could win without the steroid shot. My husband trains race horses, sulkies, if he finds out anything I will let you all know. I fell sorry for the horse.

Temp being 95 and going 1 1/2 miles during withdraw. It’s a wonder he didn’t go crazy IMO.

 

[4F FARM]

Race horses are not different than dogs or any other animal that is bred for specific traits. Take racing quarter horses, they have been so inbred in the past that they have small hooves and weak pasterns. This is now being bred out, thank gawd, but breeding is breeding. The pekingese is supposed to have a short bridge on their nose, it has been over bred for shortness that now some have breathing problems. I am not trying to offend anyone, this is just my opinion.