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Big Brown vs. Curlin: How Do They Compare?

Cinch Magazine, J.L. Orchard

So how good are Big Brown and Curlin, really? Curlin placed third in the 2007 Kentucky Derby and second to Red Rocks in the 2008 Man o' War Stakes. Big Brown startled us with a last place finish in the 2008 Belmont Stakes.

 Both Curlin and Big Brown have had their share of triumphs, though. Curlin won his maiden-breaker at 12 3/4 lengths and Big Brown won his second race, a turf by the same distance. Big Brown's first race and maiden-breaker was also on turf and won by 11 1/4 lengths. Big Brown was the second winner of the Kentucky Derby out of thirteen that ran with only three prior starts, the last being Curlin the previous year. Big Brown became the seventh horse to remain undefeated following the Derby, a title Curlin did not gain the previous year. Although both Curlin and Big Brown were the favorites for their Derby races, Big Brown sold seats for a second-highest attendance record of 157, 770.

 Following his defeat in the Kentucky Derby, the 2007 three-year-old Curlin went on to win the Preakness Stakes at a time of 1:53.46, winning by a head, a victory faster than Big Brown's 2008 Preakness Stakes time of 1:54.80. Big Brown won by 5 1/4 lengths without jockey Desormeux ever lifting the whip.

 Both horses though lost the Belmont Stakes. Curlin fought with filly Rags to Riches at the end to finish a nose behind. Big Brown suffered a battering race, a quarter crack, and scorching heat to find he had nothing when he needed it. To save his horse further trouble, Desormeax pulled him up to finish last.

 For the three-year-old horses of 2007 and 2008 their next race would be the Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park. Big Brown drew a large crowd of 45,132 for that track and showed them he "still could" with a 1 3/4 length win. But he didn't prove himself to everyone. He'd been pressured in the final strides when it appeared that Coal Play had him beat. His awkward and fragile running style seemed to have finally caught up with the champion. And though he'd proven he wasn't a fluke, Big Brown seems to have more to prove now in his next race, the September 13 Monmouth Stakes on turf. The choice for the turf race was made to prepare him for the synthetic surfaces of the 2008 Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita. Plus, the turf seems to be Big Brown's thing for long distant wins.

 Curlin on the other hand didn't win his 2007 Haskell run. In fact the winner of that race ran a slower time than Big Brown's 1:48.12. That didn't faze the three-year-old though and he went on to win the Jockey Club Gold Cup on September 30 where he received a Beyer Speed Figure of 114. But more impressive was his Breeders' Cup Classic win of 2:00.59 for 1 1/4 miles- fast for a sloppy track after days of rain. To sum up Curlin's three-year-old career, were the titles Co-World Champion 3-Yr-Old, American Champion Three-Year-Old Male Horse, and American Horse of the Year.

Curlin went on to win three more races in his four-year-old career in 2008, including the Dubai World Cup. When his trainer tried him on turf in the Man o' War Stakes however, Curlin lost again.

Now people are questioning what would happen if the two horses were to meet each other. Which horse is better?

Commonly, a four-year-old has the better chance over the three-year-old. Even Curlin's pedigree would state that he ranks above Big Brown. After all his sire, Smart Strike sends at least one starter to the Breeders' Cup championship each year and his dam's side produced 1997 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies winner, Countess Diana. Big Brown’s line on the other hand, though he sports Northern Dancer on both sides, has a reputation for producing weak horses. We've seen this in Big Brown's frequent hoof complications. It is also common for his ancestors to race well in a limited time frame before the strain of racing takes its toll. Big Brown is the perfect example that the U.S. is breeding weaker horses now than they were thirty years ago.

 So really, how good are Curlin and Big Brown? I don't mean against each other, I mean against their predecessors. Compare 1973 racehorse, Secretariat's 1:59.24 Kentucky Derby win to Big Brown's 2:01.92 or even 2006 Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro's 2:01.36 time. What of Man o' War's five North American records set during his three-year-old season? Or Citation who, when no one came forth to challenge him, did a walkover in the 1948 Pimlico Special?

 Are Curlin and Big Brown champions? If they're better than 90% of the racehorses on the track today, then yes they are. But we cannot compare them to past champions. The modern day thoroughbred just isn't as good anymore, and until we take steps to change that, don't expect to see a Triple Crown winner slide into a Breeders' Cup victory and crush the records of horses like Seabiscuit. It's not going to happen, although I seriously hope I'm proved wrong.

 If you want to call Curlin and Big Brown champions go right ahead. I will too. But please don't compare them to history. This is a new era of racehorses. They're not racing against our history but making a new one.

Big Brown will go to the Monmouth Stakes in September and Curlin to the Woodward in late August. Big Brown's not trying to meet with Curlin unless Curlin will meet him in the Breeders' Cup Classic, a long time target for Big Brown. But the 2007 Breeders' Cup winner wishes to avoid the synthetic track whereas Big Brown needs the break on his feet. If you crave to decide which horse is the true modern champion because you can't find it in you to say both are, then let them meet on synthetic. The dirt will pain Big Brown, and the grass will slow Curlin. Anyway this is modern horseracing. Synthetic is the modern track.
Both horses are good. Both have a decent chance. In my book they're both champions, but if they have to meet it needs to be soon. Big Brown is set to retire this winter and for Curlin it’s undecided. Big Brown's stable knows where they're headed, while Curlin's is again undecided. Why not meet at the Breeder's Cup? If Curlin wins, he will have two Breeders' Cup wins to his name. If Big Brown wins, then heart truly is stronger than logic. Either way, both horses will, for the first time, be put to the real test.