The old men who spend their days in the Track and the OTBs all said he was the real deal. He proved them right, and made it look easy today.
Here he is winning the Derby.
Can’t wait to see him at the Belmont.
I watched the SportCenter report on the race. Holy shit, Big Brown just shifted gears there on the home stretch. You could see him explode from the pack.
The jockey said he knew the horse had it won as soon as they exited the last turn, and coasted him the last hundred or so yards.
Amazing horse.
I’m probably one of the few folks on T-Nation who was actually alive, and vividly remembers watching Secretariat, Seattle Slew, and Affirmed.
[quote]rainjack wrote:
I’m probably one of the few folks on T-Nation who was actually alive, and vividly remembers watching Secretariat, Seattle Slew, and Affirmed.[/quote]
I was never a huge fan of horseracing, but those names were just as big in my childhood as John Riggins, Franco Harris, Kenny Stabler…
I’ve axtually seen Secretariat race and Big Brown is in the same neighborhood as him.
Another horse named Forego would be up there too, and I don’t think Big Brown would have run away from him like he did yesterday’s field. Forego only ran 4th to Secretariat in the Derby but ran against and crushed the other horses for the following 4 years (he was gelded — the owners are probably still crying about doing that).
"In 57 starts, he won 34, placed in 9, and came in third 7 times. His lifetime earnings amounted to $1,938,957. Forego won the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Sprint Horse in 1974, and Eclipse Award for Outstanding Older Male Horse for four years running�??1974, 1975, 1976, and 1977.
He was voted the Eclipse Award for Horse of the Year for three years straight: 1974, 1975 and 1976. His countless handicap victories made this large son of Forli a handicap champion. His versatility is clearly demonstrated by his wins from 7 furlongs to the 2 mile Jockey Club Gold Cup.
Because of his wins, he was constantly asked to carry more than 130 pounds, and still he won usually with a heart pounding burst of speed in the home stretch when he would close like a rocket and win in a photo finish against horses carrying up to 35 pounds less weight!"
He was one beautiful horse!
I don’t know if you can compare Brown Bag to Secretriat. That’s like comparing Emmitt Smith to Jim Brown.
We still have 1 race left for Brown Bag to prove himself worthy of breathing Triple Crown air. Word has it that they are bringing in a Japanese ringer for the Belmont.
Seems that there is just not a lot of quality amongst the 3 year-olds this year.
[quote]rainjack wrote:
I watched the SportCenter report on the race. Holy shit, Big Brown just shifted gears there on the home stretch. You could see him explode from the pack.
The jockey said he knew the horse had it won as soon as they exited the last turn, and coasted him the last hundred or so yards.
Amazing horse.
I’m probably one of the few folks on T-Nation who was actually alive, and vividly remembers watching Secretariat, Seattle Slew, and Affirmed.
[/quote]
There are a few of us. I was at the Derby in '73, in the crowd. I was young enough that someone had to explain to me what a big deal it was, but it was clear to me that I was watching a kind of history. There was a lot of history being written around that time, though.
I’m always amazed when I see the SportsCentury Secretariat on ESPN, that race where he was like 30 lengths ahead gives me goosebumps for some reason.
We go to the Arkansas Derby every year. I have been pulling for Gayego, but no luck. Now, IMO, you pretty much have to be rooting for Big Brown at Belmont.
I’ve heard he has brittle hooves. My only worry is that he suffers a freak break down like Barbaro.
He was my horse.
EDIT: Click on the enlarge Video button in the upper right corner
Watching someone or something do something superbly has always captured my soul. When a champion racehorse turns for home, and you see the jockey and horse thundering down the stretch like a machine, working together in perfect unison…it is simply beautiful.