Will Big Brown race again?

[Playwithfire]

Do you think Big Brown races again or does he hang up the horseshoes like Smarty Jones, Afleet Alex and other 'phenoms' of the decade.

On one hand, he may need to race again to prove himself, and honestly the 3yo class hasn't changed...its still not very good. Perhaps he goes for Travers and then takes down a few more stakes before a Breeders Cup effort. Or maybe he gets another quarter crack before the BC so he doesn't have to try the cushion track and face tougher competition. I mean, i bet the big offers for Curlin vs. Big Brown showdown have vanished.

On the other hand his team can make an excuse for the Belmont and retire him hoping his impressive victories in the KY Derby and Preakness are good enough to warrant a $50k stud fee.

I for one hope he runs again to see where he truly stands in history, and not have the Belmont as his legacy as just like he was way over hyped before the Belmont, he'll probably be way over criticized after.

[horsenuts]

No.


And how would you like to be a syndicate buyer after today's stinker? $50,000,000 big ones...... one born every minute.

BB is a typical modern day commercial thoroughbred... good for a handful of top performances and then belly up they go.

And do you get a master craftsman farrier thrown in if you buy a BB off-spring? Only masterful shoeing techniques kept BB racing this long so who in their right mind wants to buy off-spring so predisposed to such maladies.


It's all in the genes and the TB of the past 30 years has been bred to last a handful of races and then poof. BB is but the latest example.

[Dave C]

I hope he runs again, I would like to see if he really is a 'great' horse or if he has just benefifed from weak fields and clean trips. Realistically, however, if the contracts have been signed for $50M, how can Three Chimneys afford to allow him to be shown up as not a great horse. What happens if he meets Pyro in the Travers and Pyro outruns him and wins by a couple of lengths. What happens if he meets up with Colonel John and gets outrun. Pyro and CJ lost the Derby coming out of the gate, they might as well have stayed home. I haven't got off the CJ bandwagon just because he had traffic troubles in the KD and I don't think the Pyro fans should either. Those boys haven't been sold for $50M and if BB were to lose to them how could you justify BB's price. That's why I don't think we will see him again, and I think that's why they were so willing to let the media see his feet problem. They really can't let him run again without risking someone losing a bundle of money. JMHO

[Linda_d]

I agree with horsenuts and Dave C. BB won't run again, and for the reasons both put forward.

[aardvark]

And do you get a master craftsman farrier thrown in if you buy a BB off-spring?

You've said it all when you say Budweiser. This Bud's for you.

[River Summit]

I doubt they will run him again. Too risky that he may turn in another clinker and be worth even less than he is after the Belmont. I think they will come up with some excuse to retire him. All the talk about running against Curlin is a joke IMO.

[Georgerz]

With the Belmont clunker, I think that his value has sank as low as it can. In my opinion, they need to get at least a couple of GRI wins to recover at least partially his perceived value.

[pfrsue]

It's a catch-22, but I think he almost has to run again if he's healthy. Losing the Travers wouldn't really be a greater embarrassment than what happened in the Belmont, whereas winning it (or the BC) would go a long way toward salvaging his reputation.