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Big Brown, This Is It

Cinch Magazine, J.L. Orchard

  "All morning long, automobiles and special trains disgorged thousands and thousands of passengers from every corner of the nation and the world; the assembly of foreign dignitaries alone equaled a normal day's attendance. By midday, the grandstand and clubhouse were glutted, so Vanderbilt redirected fans by the thousands into the infield. The crowds kept coming in."

These are the words of author Laura Hillenbrand in her triumphant novel, Seabiscuit, An American Legend. But unlike Seabiscuit and War Admiral, Big Brown and Curlin will have no such day. That triumph is over.

It finished just twelve days before the long awaited and hailed 2008 Breeders' Cup Classic. During what seemed like a one-in-a-million workout on Monday, October 13^th, Big Brown's key owner, Michael Iavarone's words to his wife couldn't have been more true, "Just one more big one." Unfortunately though, the word's intended meaning was altered when Big Brown's right hind hoof grabbed his right front foot, tearing from it three to four inches of heel.

Curlin's owner Jess Jackson was to give his definite decision as to entering Curlin in the Breeders' Cup Classic that same day. His answer was yes. Curlin will race. The response…against who?

Although Big Brown's injury, a heel bulb laceration, is considered non-life threatening, Big Brown will need several weeks to recover. He doesn't have that time. The Breeders' Cup is in twelve days…he won't go. He has a $50-million breeding deal to hold to with Three Chimneys Farms by December 31^st…Big Brown's career is done.

As to a heel bulb laceration, it's not a wholly uncommon occurrence in any form of the horse industry. Though, it is quite prone to infection and much precaution must be taken quickly, which has been done for Big Brown. Many racehorses can resume their racing career without major set backs if given the time to recover. Big Brown doesn't have that time, his career stops here. And without question Big Brown's fans are all feeling the same way. Iavarone phrased it best, "a tremendous blow to the gut". Big Brown discovered unexplainable popularity in an unfortunately brief career. Though his career earnings may not amount to Curlin's $10 million, what are career earnings nowadays, when purse prizes are well beyond what they were fifty years ago? (No disrespect to Curlin, he is a great champion).

Big Brown won our hearts. The physically unstable horse from an insignificant pedigree that somehow took the world with him every time he ran. That bizarre birthmark behind his shoulder only added to his originality, a simple slice of heaven.

But his career has ended. We can no longer watch from our sofas while he miraculously steals our breath. This injury is the last gasp he'll give us. But what about Big Brown now? As one career ends, Big Brown will be immerged into the background of horseracing, the starting ground of every horse to come. Is this good? I choose to disagree.

In my previous article on Big Brown I spoke of the modern day racehorse's weaknesses. I said, because of Big Brown, we have finally realized this- But have we, really? Big Brown's story isn't finished. His career has enacted a change in the racing industry but we've reached the point now where some horse people are willing to drop the future and go for the $50-million dollar breeding program. PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) has begged those syndicated with Big Brown to have the champion gelded, and I must agree. Big Brown escaped with his life but that doesn't mean his foals will follow. His offspring will be weak, they will wear down sooner, and there is a high chance that Big Brown was the last in a short line of champions. I would much rather see Big Brown retired to a place such as the Kentucky Horse Park where he can be forever basked in the love of his fans than be forced to quicken the racehorse's demise.

Big Brown, is an outstanding horse, and has shown us a true and desperate side of life. But this is it. It is now up to the people of horseracing to decide if Big Brown's race ended in victory.

Iavarone…return your horse to the fans, and protect the future of our sport.