Big Brown's Racing Career Over

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Big Brown’s Racing Career Over

Filed on October 13th, 2008 in Horse Racing ⋅ ⋅

The anticipated matchup between Big Brown and Curlin in the Breeder’s Cup Classic will not happen.

Big Brown injured his right front foot in training for the event, enough so that the horse’s owners thought it was in Big Brown’s best interest to call it quits from racing and instead become a full-time stud.

Big Brown will retire from horse racing having won seven out of eight lifetime starts, including absolutely dominant efforts at the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness. His lone blemish came in a last-place finish at the Belmont. His career earnings were $3,614,500.

Upon retiring, Big Brown will stand at Three Chimneys Farm in Kentucky, as part of a lucrative deal worth in the neighborhood of $50 million.

“It’s in the best interest of the horse to let him recover and move on to his breeding career,” said Michael Iavarone of IEAH Stables, co-owners of Big Brown. “This is devastating. He had a great work this morning, and we were very excited about going to Breeders’ Cup. This is not only devastating to us, but to all of his fans who won’t get to see him run in the Classic.”

There is no doubt that a matchup between Big Brown and Curlin would have been the most interesting event in thoroughbred horse racing this year, next to Big Brown’s attempt at the Triple Crown.

As for Curlin, he will surely be the heavy favorite in the Classic now, as he continues to prove just what a champion race horse is. I wish the owners of Somebeachsomewhere (harness) would look at Curlin and Mister Big (harness) and see what great opportunities there are for aged horses, outside of studding.

Oh well, Big Brown had a great career, and will now be the horse everyone gets compared to when they win the Kentucky Derby and Preakness. “Yeah, Big Brown was great too, but he couldn’t handle the Belmont…”

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