I'm not sure if that is good news or bad news, as the trainers certainly want an explanation for how a horse that looked so strong in the previous two races completely fell apart.

The fact that nothing is wrong with the horse is good for the sports image, as they couldn't ...]]> 6/11/2008 7:50:12 PM /blog/archive/2008/jun/11/no_injury_for_big_brown/12636.asp /blog/archive/2008/jun/8/big_brown_crushed_in_belmont/12577.asp In one of the most stunning sports moments I've seen in quite awhile, Big Brown faded from third place and finished dead last in the Belmont Stakes.

Da' Tara, who led out of the gate, went wire-to-wire for the win at 38-1 odds.

Meanwhile, Big Brown continued to fade back as they entered the final turn, and his jockey decided just to pull him up and let him gallop back to the finish line.

The most puzzling ...]]> 6/8/2008 9:12:53 AM /blog/archive/2008/jun/8/big_brown_crushed_in_belmont/12577.asp /blog/archive/2008/jun/7/casino_drive_scratched_from_belmont_stakes/12541.asp Casino Drive, the horse said to pose the biggest threat to favorite Big Brown, has been scratched from the Belmont Stakes because of an injury.

The injury, which was reported earlier this week, was not expected to be serious but his owner and trainer have election to be extra cautious with the horse.

The horse is said to be fine and the injury is minor, but the risk just wasn't worth it.

Casino Drive will now be ...]]> 6/7/2008 3:05:25 PM /blog/archive/2008/jun/7/casino_drive_scratched_from_belmont_stakes/12541.asp /blog/archive/2008/jun/5/big_brown_to_run_without_steroids/12484.asp Big Brown will run the Belmont Stakes without having steroids injected into his body as per usual.

Winstrol is usually injected into Big Brown on the 15th of every month, but he has not received any steroids since April 15.

Big Brown's trainer, Rick Dutrow, feels that the horse has been performing so well without the winstrol that there is no reason to change things and begin administering it now.

Steroids are legal in 28 of the ...]]> 6/5/2008 4:12:32 PM /blog/archive/2008/jun/5/big_brown_to_run_without_steroids/12484.asp /blog/archive/2008/jun/4/big_brown_gets_post_no_1/12463.asp Big Brown has drawn post No. 1 for Saturday's Belmont Stakes.

He is listed at 2-5 odds and will have nine competitors on the track trying to deny him a victory and the Triple Crown.

Casino Drive, who has been considered Big Brown's biggest challenge, will be in post No. 5.

Big Brown's trainer said he looked great during a final training session Tuesday and they are excited for the race.

A tree will be planted in honor of the horse at the base of her grave.

The grave will be set near those of four Kentucky Derby winners.

A ceremony has also been planned for the 2009 Kentucky Derby in Eight Belles' memory.

The doctors were considering putting it on earlier but decided they would rather let the hoof heal for a little longer naturally.

Big Brown's trainer is still very excited about his horse's chances, saying he has looked as good running this week as he has ever seen him before.

The ...]]> 6/2/2008 8:32:57 PM /blog/archive/2008/jun/2/big_brown_gets_touch_up_before_big_race/12446.asp /blog/archive/2008/may/27/big_brown_returns_to_track/12292.asp Big Brown returned to the track for the first time since suffering his left hoof injury and was said to be in good form.

Big Brown's trainer went so far as to say that the horse looked better than he did before The Preakness in the light workout.

The trainer believes the horse is right on schedule to be ready to go in the Belmont Stakes, which is about a week and a half away.

He has ...]]> 5/27/2008 6:33:28 PM /blog/archive/2008/may/27/big_brown_returns_to_track/12292.asp /blog/archive/2008/may/27/big_brown_healing_up/12242.asp Big Brown's injured left front hoof is healing well, according to a hoof specialist.

The injury is common and not serious, which may explain the trainer's lax attitude toward it.

Everyone in Big Brown's camp continues to be optimistic that the horse will be just fine and ready to go for the Belmont Stakes.

Should Big Brown with the Belmont, he would become the first horse to win the Triple Crown in 30 years and could help ...]]> 5/27/2008 8:19:43 AM /blog/archive/2008/may/27/big_brown_healing_up/12242.asp /blog/archive/2008/may/26/big_brown_has_cracked_hoof/12196.asp Hold your horses on those predictions of a Big Brown Triple Crown victory at the Belmont Stakes.

The horse has a left front hoof injury, a minor crack that has kept him from training the past two days and will likely keep him out for several more.

However, the trainer is confident that the horse will be able to run in the Belmont Stakes.

He said he would be a lot more nervous if there were only ...]]> 5/26/2008 9:12:06 AM /blog/archive/2008/may/26/big_brown_has_cracked_hoof/12196.asp /blog/archive/2008/may/22/trainer_says_big_brown_is_unbeatable/12185.asp The outspoken trainer for Big Brown believes the horse is unbeatable and is not worried about a challenge from Casino Drive.

Casino Drive is making his way over for Japan and is expected to be Big Brown's main competition.

Big Brown swept through the Kentucky Derby and Preakness in route to a chance at the Triple Crown at the Belmont Stakes, which is a little more than two weeks away.

As soon as Big Brown decided to make his move, it was stunning to watch how quickly he pulled away from the field in just a few strides. It was as if the other horses weren't moving at all.

Maybe most impressive was the fact his jockey never told him to take off ...]]> 5/19/2008 9:20:36 AM /blog/archive/2008/may/19/big_brown_rolls_in_preakness/12050.asp /blog/archive/2008/may/19/a_wild_day_at_preakness/12049.asp It was the usual wild and crazy day at The Preakness, which is celebrated each May as the biggest annual party in Baltimore and the entire state of Maryland.

The contrast is always interesting to note from the grandstand, where you see ladies in fancy dresses and hats, to the infield, where shirts are optional.

The crowd was significantly down this year from last year's attendance record, as about 9,000 less people showed up. The attendance ...]]> 5/19/2008 9:16:44 AM /blog/archive/2008/may/19/a_wild_day_at_preakness/12049.asp /blog/archive/2008/may/16/preakness_hopeful_scratched/12022.asp Preakness hopeful Behindatthebar have been scratched because of a sore foot.

Behindatthebar was the No. 5 horse.

That means the field has been narrowed to 12, and heavy favorite Big Brown has one less horse to worry about.

Brown will be coming out of the No. 6 gate now with the Behindatthebar's removal from the race. He was originally slated to come out of the No. 7 gate.

After a major rainstorm left more than five inches in some places last weekend, another one has hit Friday with heavy rain that could put down another few inches.

Flood watches have been posted, and all of that means a monsoon in the infield.

The forecast for The Preakness is pretty nice, with temperatures in the ...]]> 5/16/2008 8:17:38 AM /blog/archive/2008/may/16/preakness_infield_to_be_a_mess/12006.asp /blog/archive/2008/may/16/eight_belles_had_no_prior_injuries/12005.asp An autopsy performed on Eight Belles showed the horse had no pre-existing injuries coming into the Kentucky Derby.

The horse was euthanized on the track following the derby after she broke both of her ankles.

The owner has been particularly upset with P.E.T.A claiming the horse may have been run despite injuries or was possibly shot up with steroids.

He wanted an autopsy done on the horse so his name could be cleared and horse racing could ...]]> 5/16/2008 8:14:24 AM /blog/archive/2008/may/16/eight_belles_had_no_prior_injuries/12005.asp /blog/archive/2008/may/13/preakness_week_is_here/11921.asp The Preakness Stakes are now just four days away and anticipation is building for the possibility of a Triple Crown.

Only two horses from the Kentucky Derby will make the trip to Pimlico, with the most notable being Triple Crown possibility Big Brown.

However, a total of twelve horses have entered the field, which is about average or slightly above average for The Preakness.

The big race will take place shortly after six on Saturday, and more ...]]> 5/13/2008 5:42:40 PM /blog/archive/2008/may/13/preakness_week_is_here/11921.asp /blog/archive/2008/may/5/horse_euthanized_after_race/11708.asp Overshadowing the performance of Big Brown in the Kentucky Derby was the fact a horse had to be euthanized on the track after the race.

Eight Belles suddenly collapsed after the race, and it was later found out to be broken ankles on two legs, giving doctors little choice on the course of action.

The strangest part about the injury was that it did not occur until a couple of minutes after the end of the ...]]> 5/5/2008 8:37:58 AM /blog/archive/2008/may/5/horse_euthanized_after_race/11708.asp /blog/archive/2008/may/5/big_brown_runs_away_with_derby_win/11700.asp No horse had won the Kentucky Derby coming out of the 20 gate since 1929.

Big Brown must not be a history buff.

The heavy favorite coming into the race made a strong surge coming into the final turn and ran away from the field en route to an impressive victory that has the horse racing world buzzing about a Triple Crown winner in 2008.

Big Brown was so impressive that every owner but one with a ...]]> 5/5/2008 8:06:27 AM /blog/archive/2008/may/5/big_brown_runs_away_with_derby_win/11700.asp /blog/archive/2008/apr/30/kentucky_derby_just_days_away/11618.asp The first Saturday in May is just a few days away, and that can only mean one thing in the sports world: The Kentucky Derby and the start of the Triple Crown.

Every spring, horse racing fans geared up at the possibility of a top horse winning the Kentucky Derby and having the chance to go on and win the Triple Crown.

There hasn't been a Triple Crown winner in more than three decades, though a ...]]> 4/30/2008 3:13:59 PM /blog/archive/2008/apr/30/kentucky_derby_just_days_away/11618.asp /blog/archive/2008/jan/29/barbaro_set_to_be_buried/9466.asp Barbaro, the horse who broke his leg at the Preakness in 2006 and eventually had to be euthanized, is set to be buried on the grounds of Churchill Downs.

Barbaro won the Kentucky Derby in impressive fashion and appeared to have a great chance at the Triple Crown. He then broke his leg in Baltimore but fought to stay alive for nine months before further complications forced him to be put down.

When trying to find ...]]> 1/29/2008 7:45:03 PM /blog/archive/2008/jan/29/barbaro_set_to_be_buried/9466.asp /blog/archive/2008/jan/22/curlin_wins_horse_of_the_year/9298.asp Curlin has been named the Horse of the Year in a runaway.

The horse won the Breeders' Cup Classic, Arkansas Derby, Preakness Stakes and Jockey Club Gold Cup to clinch the award.

He was also named the Champion 3-year old Male for 2007. He received 249 of the 266 votes for Horse of the Year.

To get an idea of how dominant Curlin was in 2007, he won six of the nine races he started.

The Breeder's Cup moves around from track to track to try and sell the sport to different parts of the country.

Last year it was held at Monmouth Park, and the format was changed from one day to two days. Three races worth a $1 million a piece were ...]]> 1/8/2008 10:56:25 AM /blog/archive/2008/jan/8/breeders_cup/9005.asp /blog/archive/2008/jan/8/belmont_stakes/9004.asp The Belmont Stakes is the third and final leg of the Triple Crown and is held three weeks after The Preakness, or five weeks after The Kentucky Derby. It will be run on June 7 this year.

The race is known for being the longest, and in recent years it has kept a horse from winning the Triple Crown on numerous occasions.

The track is also famous for playing "New York, New York" as the ...]]> 1/8/2008 10:50:50 AM /blog/archive/2008/jan/8/belmont_stakes/9004.asp