No More Push Button Horse Theories

Posted by BarbaraAnne Helberg Jun 8, 2008

Push button horses? Guess we can put that to rest now. It was said of Smarty Jones and of Big Brown, "He'll do anything we want him to." Uh-huh. Except rate in the Belmont Stakes. We loved Smarty. We loved Big Brown. But neither rated in the Belmont.

There was nothing physically amiss with Big Brown on Belmont day when he went to the post to make good on Dutrow's guarantee of a Triple Crown title. His pre-race demeanor was excellent. He had been frisky earlier in the day, and had shown progressive eagerness to return to the races.

But he broke from the No.1 gate slipping, veering right, got steered back to the rail temporarily, then about when he wanted to gear up a bit, the pacesetters backed up a tad, and there was Big Brown behind them, rail to the left, horses to the right, no where to go, shaking his head at the whole show.

Kent Desormeaux skillfully got him out of there, but by the time he accomplished that, Big Brown was mentally out of it. He'd already been thwarted from his rhythm. He showed the world who Big Brown is -- his own...well, horse.

Back at the barn, he walked regally, as though he had just won it all, and I think he did. He even purposefully posed for the camera with head high and ears pricked. Dutrow could only stare at him, his own back to the cameras, stunned, unable to speak to the media.

This wouldn't be the first time we've seen a horse run the race he wanted to run.