I see nothing wrong either. Lets not forget, Secretariat was called “knock kneed”, and Assault was known as “the club footed comet” due to an accident that left one hoof misshaped. Boy everybody sure has taken “freedom of speech” to all extremes here! Pick pick pick!!!
[QUOTE=Nikki^;3257006]
http://www.horsephotos.com/watermark.jsp?photoID=82415
I don’t see anything wrong with his ankles or his knees.[/QUOTE]
If you look the ankles in the joint as well as the digital sheath lack tightness. Not good things. Then if you look at the knee in the pic there is a “bubble” in the top joint which indictes he “has a knee.” Excess fluid in joints or tendon sheaths are not good things. Which might be a testament (as stated earlier) to him being a really good horse. He has more than feet to over come!
Snobbery?
[QUOTE=TBCollector;3256008]
A little late to the discussion here, but wondering if anyone heard an interview Dutrow did on a California radio show this morning? Apparently he used a racial slur in referring to Casino Drive.[/QUOTE]
I’m sorry Yankee Lawyer, and anyone else who thinks that some of us are being snobs toward Dutrow, but the racial slur on the radio this morning is a prime example of why the thought of this person representing racing at this moment in time horrifies me. Sad but true. Snobbery? Maybe. Does he make the sport look bad? I think so.
Big Brown is a fast and talented horse, no doubt about that, and I love to see the little guys and those who are not racing’s blue bloods win big races. I just don’t care for the trainer. And with the microscope racing is under right now, it’d just be nice to see someone who can represent the sport in a better way end up in the spotlight. Not a stereotypical ugly American. JMHO.
[QUOTE=gubbyz;3257031]
I see nothing wrong either. Lets not forget, Secretariat was called “knock kneed”, and Assault was known as “the club footed comet” due to an accident that left one hoof misshaped. Boy everybody sure has taken “freedom of speech” to all extremes here! Pick pick pick!!![/QUOTE]
You don’t seriously believe that knocks against Big Brown are the “extremes” of freedom of speech, do you? If so, may I recommend you familiarize yourself with the long and interesting history of the First Amendment? :lol:
I think part of what’s tinging the ambivalence (on my part) or negativity (on other’s parts) about Big Brown is the inevitable disappointment of seeing a potentially great horse retired too soon. He’s clearly the class of the three-year-olds, and could prove to be the best of the rest of the racing world, but he won’t be given the chance to do the latter.
Yes, yes, we all know that Seattle Slew also faced the “but who did he beat?” criticism during his Triple Crown campaign. What people seem to be forgetting is that Slew solidified his greatness with a four-year-old campaign that included beating another Triple Crown winner. Big Brown won’t be doing that. And, if he sticks to the schedule mentioned by his connections of the Travers-Breeders Cup, one half of his remaining races will involve beating up on the same group of lousy three-year-olds he’s beating so far.
I don’t care about his feet; I don’t particularly care about the lack of class shown by his connections; I just don’t see the point in getting overly effusive over a horse who will never have the chance to show his true potential. But I guess that’s racing nowadays.
It Just Keeps Getting Better…
Hi All,
Page 51 in yesterday’s (Sunday, June 1) Daily News in New York - a lovely and heartwarming piece about Michael Iavarone of IAEH. Among the details are such lovelies that Iavarone had to pay a $554,000 judgement to the Keeneland Association in 2003 for horses he neglected to pay for bought at an auction. Oops! Don’t you hate that when it happens?
There were also several other eye-opening interesting moments and details. Plus, of course, Mr. Ivarone “did not return calls to comment for the story.” He chooses NOW to stop talking?
Yep, Hallie’s grumpy and peeved today. Here we have a chance for a Triple Crown winner in Big Brown but the sideshow has become so distasteful. The horse shouldn’t have to suffer for the idiocy of language going on around him, but the racing world needs people to represent the sport right now who have a CLUE as how to act with some tiny amount of class.
I like this horse - I really do. But most people don’t care for ‘the team’ around this horse. That’s what hurts racing. If you’re lucky enough to have the heavens open and The Gods touch your horse with speed and heart, you have to step up to the plate and be good back to racing.
I just keep thinking about Lucien Lauren and Penny Tweddy in 1973. They paid respect to all the horses racing against Secretariat - they never took anything for granted. Gracious goes a long way…
Now, I know IAEH is building a vet hospital just down the Turnpike a piece from Belmont. The Ruffian Equine Medical Center will be a welcome addition to the area, ensuring that severely injured horses will not have to travel for miles on a van to get to another full service clinic. But, hey, I do feel a need to point out they’re not donating this facility to the area horses and horsemen - this is a longterm money making proposition.
Growl.
Hallie McEvoy
Racing Dreams, LLC
As the instigator of this thread, I thought I would just clarify something.
I have nothing against the horse. In fact, I LOVE the horse.
I will be rooting for him on Saturday. I am DESPERATE for a triple crown winner.
BUT… I WISH WISH WISH that at this time in horse racing, we could have a “team” (trainer, owner, etc.) that we could be proud of. Dutrow’s cockiness (especially as compared to Casino Drive’s owner’s respect for his competitor) is unseemly at best.
If Casino Drive wins on Saturday, a small part of me will relish BB’s defeat, if for no other reason than to knock Dutrow off his high horse.
P.S. - can anyone tell me exactly what racial slur Dutrow used about Casino Drive the other day? I’d like to know.
[QUOTE=rileyt;3257628]
P.S. - can anyone tell me exactly what racial slur Dutrow used about Casino Drive the other day? I’d like to know.[/QUOTE]
I’m assuming it is just the same drivil he’s been peddling about godzilla which is good copy once but gets stale after multiple use. Hey we all want “a show” and druming up the race to be is in large part good for the sport as the horses don’t read the papers or watch tv! The match race of Seabiscuit and War Admiral was made a great race by virtue of the papers building it up as East v West, Old Money v. new, et al.
Just keep the exchanges (albeit one sided to date) clean and I think everyone can enjoy seeing the actual race as the final word of ‘put up or shut up’.
A decent article from the Boston Herald (although originally in the Orlando Sentinel) that somewhat sums up the feeling of those who follow the sport close enough to get worked up about some of the details.
My guess is most people who watch this on ABC Sports won’t have read the daily boasts by Dutrow or read about IAEH’s questionable leader [who now refuses to be interviewed] - rather they’ll just tune in to see if the horse does what so many others failed to do, which is just fine.
Boston Herald June 2, 2008 “Big Brown’s brash trainer takes fun out of Triple Crown”
Maybe. Tell us a little more about yourself.
Since there are no ‘gods’ to tempt, I don’t see a problem with him saying what he does. He totally believes it; why SHOULD he quiet up to make you feel better?
Why are you embarrassed by his words and actions? He has no bearing on your life.
I wish MORE people would be outpsoken about what they truly believe of themselves and their circumstances, as long as they’re positive things they speak about. No need to spout negatives.
I can’t see how it matters much if BB wins or not. A horse racing against lackluster competition wins the big honors by default. Woohoo. Bring out the network anchors and pretend it means anything. And that’s leaving out the whole issue of the horse’s human connections.
From Andrea Adelson in The Orlando Sentinel (linked above to the Boston Globe):
“There is no doubt people want to see another Triple Crown winner, no matter who is behind the horse. Let us remember 10 summers ago, when the nation rooted for two imperfect men chasing that elusive single-season home run record. Two men who were cheered because fans wanted to see history, even though those big numbers seemed awfully suspicious. I never rooted for McGwire or Sosa. I am not sure I want to root for Big Brown, either.”
Nice one.
I love that response!!
[QUOTE=DickHertz;3257980]
Maybe. Tell us a little more about yourself.[/QUOTE]
Well Dick, I am not posting anonymously like many people. My website is in my signature line. I am not hiding who I am. I am also not petty enough to post such a rude comment about a fellow BBer that I do not even know.
Yeah - I love the response the Japanese gave but Dutrow should not tempt the Gods.
Perhaps he thinks he’s a modern day Cassius Clay… you know - he was pretty brazen and prideful if you think about it! But Dutrow just isn’t charming and doesn’t pull it off. Silence is golden.
I can’t wait to watch the race and hope all goes well, and that BB wins.
Can you point these out because I do not see a bubble on his knee and his tendons look tight to me.
I’m not being snarky. Please educate me.
I do, however, see that nasty quarter crack on his hoof. Ouchy!
I kinda really hope Casino Drive comes out to play on Saturday. I too am wanting a TC winner, and sort of thinking maybe we’d never have another one again. BUT I don’t really wish for Big Brown to win. Then we’re going to have to listen to Dutrow’s bs for ages to come. I don’t know if I can stomach it.
Big Brown will retire by about 7pm on Saturday and Dutrow will fade into the sunset never to be heard from again. He knows this is his 15 minutes of fame and he is making the most of it. History won’t forget Big Brown’s name but they sure won’t remember who trained him.
Well said.
Bluebloods, Snobs and Money
I’ll just say this about that 
- even the bluest of bluebloods didn’t get their money handed to them in the form of pennies from heaven. Dig back far enough and you’ll probably find something not so savory in how families acquired their fortunes. It might be cleaned up by a few generations, but … there’s a reason they call money dirty and the root of all evil (I know that it’s technically the love of money that’s the root of all evil, but the general public changed that phrase around a bit).
