Dutrow Spot On, Big Brown Fabulous
Derby Horse A Winner From Gate 20 As Trainer Predicted
Trainer Richard Dutrow, Jr. knows Big Brown. Dutrow wasn't worried about starting from Gate 20. The gorgeous Brown was brilliant in his wide sweep of the 134th Derby.
A star was born even as another Thoroughbred fatally broke down in front of the second largest Kentucky Derby crowd in history May 3. Wowing the more than 157,000 in attendance from the beginning to the end of the 134th $2,211,800 Derby, Big Brown, the favorite, ran wide from Post Position 20 and broke loose entering the final turn to win striding away.
Eight Belles Breakdown Fatal
The filly Eight Belles gave everything she had chasing Big Brown to the wire to place, but she was more than four lengths off the disappearing Brown. Triumph and tragedy became a shared moment when Eight Belles broke both front ankles galloping out and collapsed with catastrophic compound fractures that necessitated her immediate euthanasia.
Brown Answers All Questions
The powerful Brown shrugged off the Gate 20 ghosts, the doubters, the question marks of inexperience, and the competition in this Run for the Roses to remain unbeaten.
Dutrow, Jr.'s patient answer to the questions of Brown's inexperience in having just three career starts prior to the Derby never changed. All he needed to win was a good break from the twenty gate, and he's a good breaker, Dutrow, Jr. repeated.
Great Break and Beautiful Discipline Carries Brown
Brown got an excellent break and held perfect location along the outside of the pack as Hall of Fame Jockey Kent Desormeaux expertly judged the pace and the crowded conditions.
The Boundary colt rated beautifully, and it was apparent that he was ready to rumble as soon as Desormeaux would call on him. When the jockey sent the message, Big Brown was the perfect willing student.
Still comfortable on the outside, he charged through the final furlongs steadily picking off the four leading contenders while easing to his left to burst into front-running daylight.
Eight Belles gained a few strides as she rushed into second position, but by the quarter pole it was Big Brown in command. With easy discipline, he raced to the finish in driving strides and with energy to spare, winning by 4-3/4 lengths. He covered the 1-1/4 miles in 2:01.82.
Triple Crown Champ Conversations Begin
It was a performance that will bring about Triple Crown hopeful talk until the field lines up for the running of the second jewel of the Triple Crown, the Preakness Stakes, on May 17. The 30-year span since Affirmed won the Triple Crown in 1978 comprises the longest TC drought in history.
Denis of Cork, who ran 5th in the grade 2 Illinois Derby in his last trip, came up the rail with Calvin Borel aboard to finish third. Colonel John, the race's second favorite, was sixth.
The attendance for the event, 157,770, ranks only behind 1974's 163,628.
