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Dutrow openly criticizing Kent Desormeaux

Racing
#21

Exactly! :yes:

Is it really a surprise that KD is being blamed? Really? It was an ugly ride and as soon as he started fighting with BB and took him very wide, I thought “if he doesn’t win, KD’s going to be blamed.”

It’s easy to armchair quarterback a race from the grandstand and Dutrow’s comments are a little obnoxious, but it was a ride that left KD open to criticism. I’m still getting calls criticising the ride my jockey put on one of mine the other night - he made a brilliant move and took the horse to the rail in a huge field, but then got in a speed duel that used him up. Jock says the horse ran off with him, friends of mine say he was letting the horse run. I’m not going to get bent out of shape about it either way. But, my point is - that’s a subtle thing that is hard to see and there is still finger pointing. But, anyone could tell KD was having problems. And, in a race this big, of course he’s going to get blamed. Unfortunate, but the reality.

#22

Only my opinion, but Dutrow is not a gracious loser. The horse was just not physically prepared for the challenge ( that’s the trainer’s responsibility), and I have no doubt Kent Desormeaux can sleep just fine at night, he rode the race he was given and made the best decision for the horse. He didn’t get to where he is by making poor decisions during a race. Dutrow would still be yapping if Kent had gone ahead and finished the race and ended up in last.

#23

I heard Frank Deford on Fox Sports radio yesterday say he was glad Big Brown lost because he didn’t want “those connections” to be associated with a Triple Crown. I’m glad he said it publicly - many reputable journalists wouldn’t admit to rooting against the big horse.

#24

Any of us who have done any kind of riding know when our horse doesnt feel right under us he did the right thing to preserve the life of that horse.

#25

OK…I admit it…I am in that camp as well. You read that editorial in Useless A Today yesterday about BB’s connections and them revealing the seamy underbelly of racing? And ownership schemes orchestrated by disagraced former Wall Streeter penny stock manipulator?

Yeah…part of me is glad he lost. And all of me is glad he did not go down or really hurt himself.

#26

I posted a poll before the belmont and there were actually a handful of us who were “rooting for anyone but Big Brown.” I was open about it. I hate Dutrow and didn’t want to read stories about him and Iavarone for the next 25 years until the next Triple Crown Winner.

#27

The Saturday NY Times had a full page op-ed that was quite elegant as to why the author, a race fan, hoped BB would not win.

I will try to attach:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/07/opinion/07fornatale.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

It was titled: “If Big Brown wins, Racing loses”

#28

[QUOTE=findeight;3278213]
Sitting right outside in third or so, seemed to be moving well and easily and looked interested. Then he just stopped. Even before KD started pulling him up he just stopped running…that was one of the weirdest things I have ever seen. It looked like he was hurt even tho I knew he was not.
?[/QUOTE]

That’s what I thought at first, but watch the replay and look at the photos again, especially the break. The horse broke first and had a clear path at the rail. Straight out of the start gate (or very shortly thereafter), KD was already hauling on his face and cranking him hard right – even though there was still plenty of room to get out ahead on the rail. I had thought he didn’t start cranking on him until he got to the outside, and was trying to ease him. In fact there are photos of the horse with his face being yanked off just a couple of strides out from the gate.

I don’t think KD stuck to the plan – which apparently was to try to lead wire-to-wire. I think he choked, found himself running up the butts of what appeared to be the early leaders, and panicked he was going to make the mistake of doing too much too soon. So he tried to do what had worked before – get in an outside position and wait to make his move. Except that was not going to work given the messy ride up to that point. I think BB was pissed, he was tired, and it was hot. And to the extent they changed his program (including electrolytes, etc) going into that race, I think that is moronic. But I also think his jockey’s ride was pretty inexplicable.

On the other hand, in his other races, BB looked SO easy, so rideable. Perhaps this was the first time he gave KD some trouble and KD wasn’t expecting it.

#29

Well I am no fan of Dutrow, but if you go back to June 03 in the TTimes:

www.thoroughbredtimes.com/racing-news/2008/June/03/Nevin-keeps-Big-Brown-moving-forward.aspx

Dutrow says “The only two times I’ve ever seen this colt have bad workouts is when Kent is up.” Nevin states (about the breezing issue) “We’ve come to an agreement of, ‘I won’t bother you if you don’t bother me.’”

I think the colt was highly bothered by the break, and the ride by Kent in the first turn. So, as much as I DO NOT want to agree with Dutrow, he has a point.

Nancy

#30

[QUOTE=lcw579;3278196]
Loud and obnoxious, maybe, but so was Muhammad Ali and he didn’t always win either but he was beloved.[/QUOTE]

FYI, BEFORE when MA was Cassius Clay, DURING his boxing career, and AFTER, there were (and are) LOTS of people who disliked his bragging and attitude.

#31

BB is a good horse, I’ve enjoyed hearing about his successes and wins. He looks like a sweet boy who deserves every bit of good publicity he gets. But it takes a TRULY GREAT horse to win the TC. And a truly great horse overcomes adversity to get there. Track is a little deep and dry, no steroids, not enough elytes, got dirt in his face, got boxed in, had a bad attitude…I think all those little things are what separates a good horse from a truly great one. No, I don’t understand the electrolytes thing because to me it was just plain stupid to withhold elytes from a working athlete on a 90 degree day. WTF?! Running on bad feet sure can’t help him any either, sheesh. But some of the other things I think are what make BB a really, really nice horse versus a Triple Crown Great.

On a different day with a different rider under different circumstances maybe he could have become that Triple Crown Great. But it is what it is. I’m so happy that he’s healthy and sound! Who knows why KD did what he did? It was an ugly fight with the horse, to be sure. But it’s over and again, at least the horse is safe and sound and that’s the MAIN THING.

#32

Dutrow is that big fat bully in the back of the classroom beating people up and whining when things don’t go his way. He can suck it, for all I care!

Wouldn’t it be funny though if he were to come onto the Chronicle forums and see just how hated he is? :wink: Somebody should e-mail this to him!

#33

and now the blame game starts

[QUOTE=DickHertz;3277485]
Dutrow is an a$$hole. It could never be his fault. I do think Desormeaux panicked and didn’t want to have BB run last while driving him to the wire, but Dutrow should just STFU and go eat another cheeseburger while doing lines of coke.[/QUOTE]

I agree. Now we will have the trainer and jockey and owners all “outing” each other. should be interesting.

#34

I don’t disagree with you, Auventura. I was just pointing out something I observed from watching the replays. Also, though I ride pretty well, it is pretty easy to second guess the guy, on hindsight, while watching TV. And if the horse was acting out of character, given the fact that he had an iffy foot, the heat was oppressive, and we just had that tragedy at the Derby, I can see how KD might have panicked. And sometimes wanting to win really badly can make you lose.

#35

BB’s trainer is just a loudmouth until things don’t go his way. If he thinks Kent choked in the race, then get his fat ass on BB and show the world how its supposed to be done next time. Jerk.

You can be a loudmouth and still lose with grace and respect from the world. But this fat lard of s***, no way.

#36

[QUOTE=Ritazza;3278846]
Dutrow is that big fat bully in the back of the classroom beating people up and whining when things don’t go his way. He can suck it, for all I care!

Wouldn’t it be funny though if he were to come onto the Chronicle forums and see just how hated he is? :wink: Somebody should e-mail this to him![/QUOTE]

He doesn’t have time for email - if his past is any indicator, he prefers to spend his spare time doing drugs.

#37

Loud and obnoxious, maybe, but so was Muhammad Ali and he didn’t always win either but he was beloved. The guy was riding high and proud of his horse, did it really hurt anyone to have him shooting his mouth off? Many sports figures are loud and obnoxious, met any pro ball players? Not so nice many of them, yet they are held up as roll models for children

I really fail to see how this is ANY sort of justification for poor or unsportsmanlike behavior.

Really, the trainer in question is being unbelieveably tacky, and it’s very publicly casting another dark cloud on the sport, which it most certainly does not need.

Any good sport would’ve said “Not our day,” and gone and taken care of his horse.

#38

I have to say, this ranks right up there as the “Least Surprising Headline of the Day”
:rolleyes:

#39

I have been waiting for the fingerpointing to start. I have probably watched far fewer of these races than the rest of you, but if I were the jockey in a predicament coming out of that gate, I would not look to be in the front of the field. It is so rare to see the Belmont won leading gate to wire. I can’t name one where it happened. I would have tried to sit in third place or thereabouts and let the race develop. That seemed to be what Kent was doing though inelegantly. Then it was pretty obvious that when Kent asked for warp speed, the engine didn’t ignite.

Also, if I were Kent and I worried even one iota that there was something not right with that horse, I would pull him up. Can you imagine what would have happened to racing if BB broke down trying to win the Belmont? It would have been a calamity. I almost wonder if someone else told him that if he felt any risk that he should pull up, someone not of BB’s connections.

#40

[QUOTE=SleepyFox;3278284]
Exactly! :yes:

Is it really a surprise that KD is being blamed? Really? It was an ugly ride and as soon as he started fighting with BB and took him very wide, I thought “if he doesn’t win, KD’s going to be blamed.”

It’s easy to armchair quarterback a race from the grandstand and Dutrow’s comments are a little obnoxious, but it was a ride that left KD open to criticism. I’m still getting calls criticising the ride my jockey put on one of mine the other night - he made a brilliant move and took the horse to the rail in a huge field, but then got in a speed duel that used him up. Jock says the horse ran off with him, friends of mine say he was letting the horse run. I’m not going to get bent out of shape about it either way. But, my point is - that’s a subtle thing that is hard to see and there is still finger pointing. But, anyone could tell KD was having problems. And, in a race this big, of course he’s going to get blamed. Unfortunate, but the reality.[/QUOTE]

It’s not a suprise to me that he’s being blamed. I agree with RD’s statements. And I’m no fan of the guy’s behaviour through the TC.
KD is slucky that the horse didn’t rip off what hoof is remaining on any of those feet, while jerking him around.
Kent choked. It shows!

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