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Big Brown trainer is subdued Wednesday, May 7, 2008 By Harry King LITTLE ROCK - Confident to the point of brash prior to the Kentucky Derby, Big Brown trainer Dick Dutrow is oddly subdued about the Preakness. Considering the quality of the colt's likely opposition, the second leg of the Triple Crown is a much easier assignment than the Derby. About the only thing working against Big Brown is the two-week turnaround, but three racetracks in five weeks is one of the nuances that makes the three-race sweep so difficult. At Churchill Downs, Big Brown had 19 opponents, including winners of major prep races in Arkansas, California, Kentucky, New York and Louisiana. He was short on experience and the race was longer than any of the 3-year-olds had ever attempted. Still, it was a laugher, the outcome settled early in the stretch. The victory was so complete that Recapturetheglory is the only one in the Derby field who might go to Baltimore for another crack at Big Brown. Some of the others will retreat, rest and wait for the Belmont; others will look elsewhere for easier pickings. Although the eight or so expected in Baltimore are of suspect quality, Dutrow called the Preakness a different game. Timing is the thing. "I like to train a horse for a race, but I'm not going to have a chance to train him," Dutrow told ESPN.com. "I don't think I'm going to feel as confident because I really love training a horse for a race. I can't do it now. My hands are tied." A review of the past performances of the eight or so expected in Baltimore should do wonders for Dutrow's confidence. Tres Borrachos is typical. In his last start, Tres Borrachos was third in the Arkansas Derby, almost five lengths behind the winner, Gayego. Last Saturday, Gayego finished 17th in Louisville. Arkansas Derby runner-up Z Fortune, four lengths in front of Tres Borrachos at Oaklawn Park, was 10th at Churchill Downs. Also expected are Kentucky Bear, Stevil, Giant Moon and Yankee Bravo - each third or worse in those previously mentioned prep races in Kentucky, New York, Louisiana and California. Although the competition will be inferior at the Preakness and Big Brown looked like a world beater in the Derby, I am not willing to concede the Triple Crown. For one thing, he had an uncluttered path from gate to wire at Churchill. Secondly, most of his leading competitors were part of the accordion start to the race. For instance, Santa Anita Derby winner Colonel John, who should have been hot on the heels of Big Brown, was 17th only 100 yards out of the gate. That said, Big Brown does get credit for a high cruising speed that enabled jockey Kent Desormeaux to follow the leaders until they tired. If Big Brown is 90 percent, that should be good enough in the second leg. Whether he wins or not, Big Brown applied the coup de grace to the tried and true rules for handicapping the Derby when he became the first to win the Derby in his fourth career start since Regret in 1915. Just this decade, the following has occurred: -Fusaichi Pegasus, 2000, the first favorite to win the Derby since 1980. -Funny Cide, 2003, the first gelding to win since 1929 and the first New York-bred in history. -Barbaro, 2006, the first to win off a five-week layoff since 1955. -Street Sense, 2007, the first Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner in history to repeat in the Derby and the first to win with only two prep races at 3 since Arkansas Derby winner Sunny's Halo repeated in Louisville in 1983. Next year, handicappers will start from scratch. ------- Harry King is sports columnist for Stephens Media's Arkansas News Bureau. His e-mail address is hking@arkansasnews.com. |
