Big Brown poised for Triple Crown bid

[Woodmonkey]

Big Brown poised for Triple Crown bid

OK, Big Brown. It's time for the big date with history. All the obstacles in the colt's spectacular bid for the first Triple Crown in 30 years are fading faster than the pack in his Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes victories.

Big Brown's quarter crack is patched and the sturdy hoof that helped him stampede to an undefeated record is as strong as ever.

The path to victory got even easier for Big Brown early Saturday when Casino Drive, the morning-line second choice in the Belmont, was scratched due to a bruise in his left hind foot.

Now only longshots and the grueling 1 1/2-mile race stand between Big Brown and racing immortality.

Nothing has changed trainer Rick Dutrow's Jr's mind that the strapping bay colt will celebrate in the winner's circle at the Belmont Stakes on Saturday and win the first Triple Crown in 30 years.

"He's just the coolest horse that ever lived," Dutrow said.

It's been 30 years since Affirmed swept the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont to become horse racing's 11th Triple Crown winner. The drought has left the sport starved to anoint a savior. Three times this decade a horse won the first two legs of the series only to get tripped up in the Belmont.

Triple Crown Brown has a nice ring to it and the nickname could be his by nightfall.

"I just kind of daydream about being in these situations," jockey Kent Desormeaux said. "I dream about how I would react, what I should do."

Desormeaux is trying to make amends for blowing his shot a decade ago at making Triple Crown history. He led Real Quiet to wins in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness, then the horse slowed down the stretch in the Belmont and lost by a nose to Victory Gallop.

Desormeaux still regrets the way he asked Real Quiet for an explosive early run.

"I think now I would do it differently," he said. "I know I won't make the same mistakes."

The remaining eight rivals haven't been given much of a chance to spoil the bid.

Casino Drive, who won the Peter Pan Stakes last month, had hoped to pull the upset. But he was scratched on Saturday as a precaution due to the bruise. He cantered three furlongs early Saturday but appeared to be favoring the foot while receiving a bath after the workout.

"It's not serious, it's just a matter of timing," said Nobutaka Tada, racing manager for Casino Drive's Japanese connections. "The horse is OK."

Dutrow has trash talked the competition since the start of the Triple Crown season and had easily dismissed Casino Drive's chances — even with four good hoofs.

Maybe so, but plenty of experts around the barn thought Smarty Jones would win the Belmont and sweep the Triple Crown in 2004. But Nick Zito's Birdstone caught a fading Smarty Jones in the final 70 yards and thwarted the run.

Weird things happen all the time in races. Horses stumble or get distracted, a jockey moves too soon, or doesn't leave enough oomph in the horse for the stretch run which can screw up even the best plan.

Big Brown is seeking to join Seattle Slew (9-0 in 1977) as the only undefeated Triple Crown winners. He's won all five of his races by a combined 39 lengths.

Big Brown was led to his bath mat Friday under the hold of exercise rider Michelle Nevin. He briefly turned his head toward the popping cameras and seemed to enjoy all the fuss.

But he got some privacy when he needed patch-up work.

Big Brown's barn was barricaded to keep gawkers away and the patch was glued in private. Ian McKinlay has been Big Brown's MVP — that would be Most Valuable Patcher. McKinlay removed the stainless steel sutures holding the crack together, cleaned the area, redrilled holes and put in new sutures. Then he covered it all up with an acrylic adhesive — the same kind used for the $550 glue-on shoes Big Brown wears on his front feet — that set in five minutes. The entire process took about 30 minutes.

"If that patch comes off, I might as well quit," McKinlay said.

Dutrow is undefeated, too, when it comes to perfectly timed quips. He's amused the masses with his brazen predictions, his potshots at the competition, and the way he peppers his answers to female reporters with an occasional "babe." Even other trainers get a kick out of Dutrow's candid answers.

"It's been nothing but thrilling," Dutrow said. "Maybe it doesn't show, but really, I'm having a ball."

Dutrow will not let Big Brown hit the track for a short run through the stretch early Saturday like he did the morning of the Preakness.

The first time Big Brown takes the long walk toward the track, he'll be led to the starting gate. Only a few minutes later, the sport will either have its savior — or just another dream that ended too soon.

"I'm Peter Pan flying off to the clouds," Desormeaux said. "That's how the dream ends."

The Source