Kentucky Derby Blog

Big Brown ridden by Kent Desormeaux won the Monmouth Stakes by a neck over the second choice Proudinsky Saturday in Oceanport, New Jersey. It was a race that the 3-year-old Big Brown could have easily lost. The field started to gang up on him near the top of the stretch, and he briefly appeared beaten. But he showed he is every bit as determined as he is talented. He refused to let another horse pass him in the stretch and, despite the narrow margin of victory, seemed to be going easily inside the final few yards. Big Brown covered the 1 1/8 miles on grass in 1:47.41.

The $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic will be an even tougher assignment for Big Brown, but it appears that he will be going into the race in top shape. Big Brown returned $3.20, $2.60 and $2.20. Proudinsky paid $3.00 and $2.40, and Shakis paid $2.80 to show. His next race will be the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic on Santa Anita’s synthetic track on October 25.

Big Brown is returning to turf in Monmouth Stakes on September 13th for the first time since his career debut last September. The race was created to accommodate Big Brown’s connections, who wanted a prep race six weeks before the October 25 Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita. The $200,000 purse for the Monmouth Stakes increases to $500,000 with Big Brown’s start.

“I have to think he’s probably better on the grass,” Dutrow said yesterday, when his 3-year-old star breezed 5 furlongs in an easy 1:05.55 around three sets of cones on a good Aqueduct course. “All the riders who’ve been on him say he worked better on grass than on dirt. When he’s on dirt, I have to put bandages on all four feet because he runs down and burns his heels. On the grass, I don’t.”

Ready to take on Big Brown in the Monmouth Stakes is stakes winner and Grade 1-placed KISS THE KID (Kingmambo), who exits a third in the Philip H. Iselin Stakes on the main track and finished second in the grassy Bob Harding Stakes two starts back at Monmouth Park.

Other probables for the Monmouth S. include the multiple Grade 2-winning millionaire SILVER TREE (Hennessy), who exits a score in the Oceanport Stakes over the course; Mervin H. Muniz Jr. Memorial H. hero PROUDINSKY (Ger, a close sixth in the Bernard Baruch H.; and multiple Grade 3 winner HOTSTUFANTHENSOME (Awesome Again), who just missed to Silver Tree two back.

RED ROCKS (Ire), the 2006 Breeders’ Cup Turf winner who defeated Curlin (Smart Strike) in the Man o’ War Stakes last time out, is also possible.

Big Brown is heading back to Monmouth turf in preparation for the Breeders’ Cup Classic horse racing on September 13. His first start on grass since breaking his maiden at Saratoga last year.

Big Brown co-owner Michael Iavarone said the 1 1-8 mile race will serve as the final tune-up for the 3-year-old colt before the Classic, which will be held on a synthetic surface at Santa Anita on October 25.

Monmouth bumped the purse from $200,000 to $500,000 to lure Big Brown to the race against horses 3-and-up.

Big Brown is coming off a gritty victory in the Haskell Invitational at Monmouth on August 3 and has won six of his seven career starts. Big Brown dominated his only other start on grass, winning his first career start by 11 1/4 at Saratoga last September.

Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner Big Brown has been installed as the 1-2 morning-line favorite for Sunday’s $1 million Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park. The 41st Haskell will be conducted over 1 1/8 miles with seven starters.

Here the complete Haskell field in post-position order;

1 Magical Forest, Jorge Chavez 10-1
2 Cool Coal Man, Eddie Castro 4-1
3 Alaazo, Jose Lezcano 30-1
4 Big Brown, Kent Desormeaux 1-2
5 Nistles Crunch, Elvis Trujillo 15-1
6 Coal Play, Joe Bravo 8-1
7 Atoned, Edgar Prado 6-1

The Haskell will be shown live on ESPN Classic and ESPN News beginning at 6 p.m. (et).

This is from Betting On The 2008 Breeders’ Cup World Championships , Articledashboard.com. This article gives a good outlook of 2008 Breeders’ Cup and betting tips. I hope you enjoy!

The 2007 Breeders’ Cup Classic turned out to be a tight race between favorite Street Sense, who won the 2007 Kentucky Derby, and Curlin, who won the 2007 Preakness Stakes.

2008 Breeders’ Cup is the highly anticipated race between 2007 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner, Big Brown, and Curlin, who was rumored to run in the Arc de Triomphe in place of the Breeders’ Cup Classic. However, a second-place finish at the Man O’ War Stakes at Belmont Park in early July has left that trip to Paris up in the air; but neither Big Brown nor Curlin have been inked to meet up at Santa Anita Park – as of yet.

That being said, at this point in the race it’s more important that you understand how to bet on the Breeders’ Cup rather than who to bet on the Breeders’ Cup. Read the details.

Nike signed Big Brown to a 7 year, $80 million endorsement contract that included a $10 million signing bonus as well as the creation of a signature horseshoe, the Air Brown.

Big Brown was flown from New York to Portland in a private Nike jet stocked with the world’s finest bourbon, caviar, sugar cubes, cigars, carrots, and hay. Upon arriving on the west coast, the equine superstar’s handlers whisked him past a throng of cheering fans into a stretch limousine bound for Nike headquarters, where Brown, his 11-horse entourage, and his team of lawyers reviewed the contract one last time before signing.

Although Big Brown was approached by a number of suitors from sportswear manufacturers including Adidas, Reebok, and Pony, the undefeated 3-year-old was ultimately won over by Nike’s willingness to work closely with him to create a horseshoe conforming to his strong sense of personal style as well as his physical needs. Big Brown was reportedly impressed by Nike’s efforts when technicians used cameras to record his gait from multiple angles while he ran on a treadmill.

Despite being overwhelmed with pre-orders of Air Browns, Nike has maintained that Big Brown’s new casual line, the B2 Titanium HorseNeaks, would be available for purchase in August.