WOW WOW Big Brown!!! :yes:
[QUOTE=Arcadien;3108780]
You know, I just this afternoon decided “Big Brown” isn’t such a bad name for a TB, afterall! :):)
Arcadien[/QUOTE]
You know what’s an even better name to have today?
Rick Dutrow.
How is he going to fit all that money into his bank account? :lol:
[QUOTE=Arcadien;3108780]
You know, I just this afternoon decided “Big Brown” isn’t such a bad name for a TB, afterall! :):)
Arcadien[/QUOTE]
I was thinking Hot Brown would be such a great name, but since it was already taken, maybe it was Big Brown because all the Hot Browns here are so huge?? :D:lol: He sure is gorgeous!
How about Hot Brownie?
Cool quotes on BIG BROWN from Bloodhorse today:
“My plan was not to get on the lead, but rather to get close enough to the rail so as not to get caught wide," Desormeaux said. "Riding him was like bounding through a meadow. He just galloped around. When a horse sets fractions like that and still tells me that he’s got more, and that the other horses can’t get to him, that’s something special. He’s a major talent; possibly the best horse I’ve ridden. I thought that after the first time I rode him. I’d have to say that he’s my (Kentucky) Derby horse.”
Dutrow said: "We’ve got a Kentucky Derby contender. It’s a long way off, and a lot of things have to happen right, but I expected him to run just like what we saw. This day ranks on top of my career. He came out of the gate like we wanted him to. I loved being on the outside. It eliminated our chance of getting in trouble. Going into the race, the only way we cold get beat was if we got in trouble. In the first turn I knew it was over. I knew the horses in here couldn’t catch him. All I have to do is stay out of his way. I let him do what he wants.”
Yeah, not much you can say about this-it was pretty good.
For anybody who might be wondering about EF, if you are a believer in the sheets, it was predicted he would bounce today. I thought he looked too washed out before the race and he seemed choppy out there. I won’t jump off his bandwagon yet.
Anybody notice Tomcito’s interesting way of going? With only 100K he might not get in, but I do like him and Hey Byrn still and if the SA and BB wouldnt have been 1, 2, I would have won! Doesn’t that count?
I also noticed he didn’t look quite like his usual self before the race. Unfortunately, if he doesn’t run back soon, people might need to bail ship off the EF derby pick bandwagon as he only has $70K in his bankroll.
Anybody notice Tomcito’s interesting way of going?
Yes! But you know what I thought was most interesting-- the video footage of his exercise rider loping around the track in a fleece bareback pad!
So I guess his Group 1 winnings in Peru don’t count towards KD day?
I’m surprised Smooth Air hasn’t been mentioned. He ran HUGE! If you erased Big Brown from the picture, Smooth Air’s performance would have made for an impressive win on its own. He was like 7 lengths ahead of the rest of the field.
Tomcito’s exercise riders must have nerves of steel to ride a fit 3 year old around a busy track in a bareback pad! Sweet boy that he may be, I’d want some leverage against that train if something got it started. :eek: He had an interesting racing style, starting from dead last in the backstretch. :lol:
Guess it’s safe to say that BB clearly won the race? :winkgrin: It was impressive from the start and looked far too easy for him.
I also wondered why no one had mentioned Smooth Air before… His was also a very impressive effort and he looks like a fighter. Not knowing his trainer personally, I can only say that on paper it would be nice for someone who’s put in his dues and is now in his 70s to finally have a Big Horse and get to experience the Derby.
Agreed about SA. I hate green bridles, but this horse is steadily improving. But there is this bounce factor!!! Regardless, he is moving forward and others he is racing against arent.
About Smooth Air from Steve Byk
First, they are going.
Bennie Stutts told me in the paddock they would only go if he was 1-2-3. It is a lifetime dream fulfilled for this 70 year old. The job Stutts did preparing this colt was masterful. All the pedigree dopes can chew on this effort for a good long while as they are again shown up as a pack of frauds perpetuating nonsense.
Manny Cruz was thrilled and told me walking back that he saw at about the 3/8ths Big Brown wasn’t going to come back to him, so he rode out strictly to hold 2nd. He was immediately worried about being taken off Smooth Air by a high profile rider, but Stutts asked him, “You’ll come with us to Kentucky, won’t you jock?”…
It was a very fun scene to be around.
As for owner Brian Burns, he couldn’t be at the race. I guess no one listened to ATR Friday, because he was on the show with me again. His brother is in grave condition with cancer and Burns is spending all his time with him. This performance undoubtedly raised everyone’s spirit.
Secondly, I don’t know how or why anyone would go out of their way to try to diminish this game colt’s effort from Saturday. He was the only horse other than the winnr that did any real running. He’s not much to look at, but as Stutts said after the race to Cruz, “He’s a professional racehorse… You’re a professional jock… and I’m a professional trainer…”
Smooth Air is the '08 Derby ‘feel good’ story… And Stutts, the ultimate old school trainer, may have one more trick up his sleeve yet…
I expect Tomcito will be a Triple Crown spoiler, he has Belmont Stakes written all over him.
Interestingly, there’s another foreign horse targeting the Belmont, Japanese horse Casino Drive, who is a half to Jazil and Rags to Riches. That would make for an incredible hat-trick for their mom, Better than Honour, if he pulled it off.
[QUOTE=Drvmb1ggl3;3110062]
I expect Tomcito will be a Triple Crown spoiler, he has Belmont Stakes written all over him.[/QUOTE]
I could not agree more. I have to say, though, watching Big Brown extend that lead in the stretch - after leading the pack through the first qtr in 22 and change - well. Wow. That was something.
Smooth Air looked good too. It’s shaping up to be quite a horse race! It’s an interesting bunch of 3 year olds, to be sure.
Big Brown’s race was a jaw-dropper for sure. It was amazing that he had so much left at the end and kept drawing away despite the fast early fractions. I just hope his feet hold up between now and the Derby. And with only 3 races under his belt, I’m a little concerned that he might be too green for the 20-horse stampede in the Derby. We’ll see. He definitely has a lot of talent. :yes:
URGGGGHHHH Georgie Boy is out. I really liked this horse and thought he had a shot. $*#x
What can I say - I leave town for the weekend and certainly predicted that Big Brown and history of the jinxed position would derail him … boy was I a bit wrong 
Yep Georgie Boy injured and out of the Derby picture with a “pulled back muscle”. Isn’t it ironic that so many West Coast runners (prepped on synthetics) are flopping due to injury.
Someone asked about Tomcito and his graded earnings from Peru with the Group 1 wins. YES they are recognized as graded however once you convert them over its slim pickings. Right now (with the dropout of Georgie Boy) Tomcito ranks at #20 with $132,673 USD per the Daily Racing Form as of 4-1-08. That might not work to get him in as invariably a few more graded races will be won by horses ranked 21st and below. While its a guarantee that some in the Top 20 already won’t make it I don’t see too many horses skipping unless they are ill.
One horse - #5 - Kodiak Kowboy - is he still pointed to the Derby? I saw he did a very minor weekday allowance race about a month ago with zero fanfare.
Salute The Sarge a little mentioned horse that did well in 2007 but recovered from injury until this past weekend’s graded stakes win (ranked #12 in earnings) is now clearly getting at gate on the First Saturday in May.
Isn’t it ironic that so many West Coast runners (prepped on synthetics) are flopping due to injury.
You know what? I was thinking the VERY same thing.
Assuming nothing has changed with KK, they are sprinting him. As for Tomcito, I read on drf I think that they think all his $$ wasn’t included. Also, dont forget, Adriano is likely not going. And Turf War and Z Humor shouldn’t be going. But fat chance Zayat won’t go. But you’re right, several are going to move up even with just 2nd or 3rds.
And then of course there are those fillies!
Ouch - I shouldn’t be critical but I ran across this KetuckyDerby.com video review of the Florida Derby and I have to wonder if this was a “first and only take” video shot. She’s pretty which I suspect is the draw, but her delivery is just bad and not sure about the Vegas showgirl top underneath.
Is this supposed to draw in new fans?
[QUOTE=miss_critic;3113398]
As for Tomcito, I read on drf I think that they think all his $$ wasn’t included.[/QUOTE]
I just spied that too from the DRF
Tomcito earned $100,000 in the Florida Derby. His earnings in group stakes races in Peru count toward his Derby total. Zanelli said he believes Tomcito earned more money in Peru than he has been credited with thus far, and that he is “checking with the Peruvian racing board.”
“The owners believe he won $80,000,” Zanelli said. His total in Peru, according to Equibase - whose data is used by Daily Racing Form - is $32,673.
Even if he lands at $150k in graded money I still think it is possible in 2008 to fall off the list. The still to be run Blue Grass Stakes, Illinois Derby, Wood Memorial, Santa Anita Derby all will fatten up a lot of contenders.
Not when they were running them on essentially asphalt with no cushion half the meet.
By the way, Fierce Wind, who bled during the race and accordingly flopped with 10th place finish was transferred from Nick Zito to Rick Violette Jr afterwards. As was cited before he had been purchased privately on March 20th and his owner, Halsey Minor, uses Violette for another of his race horses so I don’t think it was entirely a slam on Nick.
This weekend’s $500k Grade 2 Illinois Derby at Hawthorne has been somewhat heavily advertised on local Chicago tv (NBC-5) during the mornings. They used Aerosmith’s Sweet Emotion as the backdrop music with images of past runners who have done well in the Kentucky Derby.
The field for the IL Derby (which I believe is being aired on NBC Saturday along with the Santa Anita Derby)
PP order, with (sire), jockey, weight, and trainer:
- Recapturetheglory (Cherokee Run), E. T. Baird, 122, Louie J. Roussel, III;
- Instill (Proud Citizen), Christopher A. Emigh, 122, John C. Wainwright;
- Z Humor (Distorted Humor), Rene R. Douglas, 122, William I. Mott;
- Atoned (Repent), Joe Bravo, 122, Todd A. Pletcher;
- Denis of Cork (Harlan’s Holiday), Julien R. Leparoux, 122, David M. Carroll;
- Golden Spikes (Seeking the Gold), Timothy Thornton, 122, Martin D. Wolfson; and
- Real Appeal (Successful Appeal), James Graham, 122, Thomas M. Amoss
I am hoping for a tropical storm in NY so half the horses, well specifically CV OR TofE runs the following weekend. I have to pick one for my RTTR stable! ahhhhh
Any opinions out there? Truth be told I have WP too but I thought I’d be a fool to completley drop him.
Revised list of graded earnings as of 4-2-08 and including fillies nominated
Tomcito now is showing $151,292 in graded earnings - which places him 21st
Not sure why sending Anak Nakal based up his last, almost pathetic, efforts would be wise.
