Kentucky Derby

[justme]

I was curious so I looked up his time.  He ran it in 1:54 4/5 and the record was 1:53 2/5  He ran that without the whip touching him.  VERY IMPRESSIVE if you ask me.  I think he could have broke the record if asked of him.  Next race we'll see what he can really do in my opinion.

 

[Rustynail]

I was an impressive win, but the field was soft.  He will have a harder time at the Belmont with the horses than ran closer to him in the derby.  They went from Kentucky to New York and will have 5 weeks rest and training on the Belmont track.  This is where the good horses get seperated from the Champions.

 

[kanshow]

I thought it was a very impressive finish.  WOW!  That horse has some ability and when he turned it on...  incredible.    I can't see how  breaking track records would make it any better - alll that matters is that he ran faster than his peers when it counted. 
GO BIG BROWN!!  I'd love to see him win it!!! 

 

[BRdoc]

The biggest story was the syndicate formed before the Preakness! The owners worked up the deal with Three Chimneys. The deal was $50,000,000. So, regardless what happens in the Belmont, Big Brown will be retired to stud after the race. I have always hated that aspect of racing...we never get to watch the true champions beyond 3 races. I am the chairman of the Racing Commission here. Since the Indian casinos have spread like army ants, racing was losing ground rapidly. Racing really NEEDS a triple crown winner now!!

 

[shorthorns r us]

three chimneys?

 

[shortyjock89]

three chimneys?

Yeah, the awesome, super-rich stables in Kentucky.

 

[GONEWEST]

three chimneys?

Three Chimneys is a major stallion standing farm/company.

Even "under wraps,he ran  the last 3/16 in 19.1 which is one of the fastest times in Preakness history, being held back! As far as record go, It's impossible to compare times even on the same racetrack. That's why they have Beyer figures. And that is far from exact. But he was under wraps in the FL derby as well where even at that he missed the TRACK record by only 37/100 of a second. This is a very fast horse by any measure.

Another really impressive thing about this horse is that he has only  ran a total of 5 races. It's his mind that allows him to be so professional with so little experience. He always does what the jock tells him. He isn't a nut in the gate. He is always calm and well behaved, he stands  for the farrier as well as my old nag. His mind is WAY better than his rivals and it gives him a distinct advantage.

Genetically, he is sired by a "speed" type stallion who is frankly, just a stallion as far as Thoroughbred stallions go. He has only sired two previous Grade 1 winnners who were both sprinters. His first three dams have only produced one stakes winner and that was in PR  : before BBrown. However, he is inbred MULTIPLE times to one of the most important  mares in history, "Goody Two Shoes (Simons Shoes)," as well as tracing his tail female line to her. In addition to the inbreeding to the previously mentioned mare, his sires dam and his mothers grandam are almost full sisters. The sires represented by these two mares, Damascus and Round Table finished first and second,  respectively, in the Jockey Club Gold Cup when it was contested at two miles. He has obviously inherited the large heart form these mares and is a genetic "perfect storm."

Because of this genetic make up, he could be an incredible breeding animal. As  he can only give genes for his large heart to his female offspring, he may breed like Secretariat in that while he did not produce many race horses, he became one of the industries most important dams sires. 20 years from now BBrown may be one of the most important dams sires in Thoroughbred history.

But to really "get" how special this horse is, you need to forget the above gobbledy gook and look at two videos. One is his last 3/8 mile work prior to the KY Derby and the other is the over head view of the Preakness that OAKBAR mentioned above. After watching those videos no one who knows anything about race horses could contend that this isn't one of the most spectacular race horses of all time, no matter the outcome of the next race.

Now I have to go apologize to "Bobby" for calling him a nag.

 

[knabe]

i have been watching big brown's gait change as he changes rhythm.  he doesn't elevate in the shoulders when he maxes out on extension.  he has good overlap underneath without hint of interference on either lead and when he reaches full maxed out he is smooth as silk.  it was interesting watching the filly come up behind.  she totally elevated in the stretch, but that could have just been she knew she couldn't get him, or a little bit of pain.  her acceleration didn't have quite near the extension of big brown.

i see the same thing in big brown that some dogs have when they change gears but don't elevate.  it's almost as if they slink down a little bit at full speed.  i need too look more closely at the shoulder in the withers area as their feet go under them during this transition of speed.  i'm assuming this is extemely valuable in a barrel horse that this happens as early as possible both up to the first barrel and after the last one, and being able to transition and change weight for the other barrels.

 

[Dusty]

i have been watching big brown's gait change as he changes rhythm.  he doesn't elevate in the shoulders when he maxes out on extension.  he has good overlap underneath without hint of interference on either lead and when he reaches full maxed out he is smooth as silk.  it was interesting watching the filly come up behind.  she totally elevated in the stretch, but that could have just been she knew she couldn't get him, or a little bit of pain.  her acceleration didn't have quite near the extension of big brown.

i see the same thing in big brown that some dogs have when they change gears but don't elevate.  it's almost as if they slink down a little bit at full speed.  i need too look more closely at the shoulder in the withers area as their feet go under them during this transition of speed.  i'm assuming this is extemely valuable in a barrel horse that this happens as early as possible both up to the first barrel and after the last one, and being able to transition and change weight for the other barrels.

Yeah, I think he ran really fast too....

 

[showcattlegal]

It was fast, but he wasn't pushed at all. He still has a lot left in him.

 

[Simmymom1]

i have been watching big brown's gait change as he changes rhythm.  he doesn't elevate in the shoulders when he maxes out on extension.  he has good overlap underneath without hint of interference on either lead and when he reaches full maxed out he is smooth as silk.  it was interesting watching the filly come up behind.  she totally elevated in the stretch, but that could have just been she knew she couldn't get him, or a little bit of pain.  her acceleration didn't have quite near the extension of big brown.

i see the same thing in big brown that some dogs have when they change gears but don't elevate.  it's almost as if they slink down a little bit at full speed.  i need too look more closely at the shoulder in the withers area as their feet go under them during this transition of speed.  i'm assuming this is extemely valuable in a barrel horse that this happens as early as possible both up to the first barrel and after the last one, and being able to transition and change weight for the other barrels.

 (thumbsup)     Knabe - I am so impressed by your input on Big Brown, and I totally agree with you about what you said about the way he changes his gaits.  I have trained barrel horses and still compete when I have time between Shelby's cattle shows.  You are correct in saying that the transition of the gait is important, that is what makes a good barrel horse versus a great barrel horse.  I think Big Brown is one that is going to go down as one of the "Great Race Horses" of our time.  I am sure his offspring will have the same willingness to them and hopefully some of the same great talent that he seems to have.