See Big Brown Run

By Jude T. Feld

Kentucky Derby watch started for me at the end of Saratoga last summer.

I was covering the races on Labor Day weekend there, for the Horse Racing Radio Network, when Big Brown, trained by Patrick Reynolds, annihilated a nice field of maidens under jockey Jeremy Rose, literally running away from them, while going wire-to-wire on a turf course that had not been conducive to speed, winning by 11 open lengths.

“What the fuck was that?” I said to HRRN colleague Mike Penna after the race was over.

“I don’t know,” he said, “That was impressive.”

My motto afterwards was, “What can Brown do for you?”

For weeks, all I could think about was the new Breeders’ Cup Juvenile turf, and all the money I was going to make. I would have every pick three and pick four surrounding Big Brown. I was obsessed.

He never showed up.

Unbeknownst to me, the colt had foot problems.

I kept him on my “horses to watch list” and hoped his name would pop up soon.

Finally, half a year later, Big Brown was entered in an allowance race on the turf at Gulfstream Park. I thought it strange that Rick Dutrow was now the trainer and Kent Desormeaux was replacing Rose, but I noted that Paul Pompa had sold a piece of his colt to IEAH Stable.

I was so excited about his running, I sent out an email to my horse-playing pals, telling them to watch the race and bet a few bucks if they so desired because,“Today they are handing out free money at Gulfstream.”

Then it rained and the race was taken off the turf.

Undeterred, after all, my man crush was by Boundary, I made my investment and watched Big Brown run away from the field again, winning by almost 13 lengths. I was right. This horse was a freak.

The Florida Derby (G1) was a mere formality. Big Brown went wire-to-wire and won by five, earning a 110 Brisnet speed figure, proving he was the real deal.

“Whodoyoulike in the Derby?”

“Whodoyoulike?”

“Whodoyoulike?”

“Whodoyoulike?”

This year, it was an easy answer, “Big Brown.”

“Yeah, I know he’s only had three starts.”

“Yeah, I know he hasn’t raced in the last 28 days.”

“Yeah, I know he has bad feet.”

And then, “Yeah, I know he’s in post 20.”

But what I tried to impress upon everyone was that Big Brown was an exceptional horse with exceptional ability. He was being ridden by a Hall of Fame jockey, who had already won two Kentucky Derbies. There would be no mistakes in judgment.

Kent Desormeaux told me one night at Furlongs, a Cajun eatery in Lexington, that this was the best horse he had ever ridden. That sealed the deal for me.

A very talented rider once told me, “You can’t ride a good race on a bad horse.”

But I’ll tell you, “You can ride a great race on a great horse.”

If you have any doubts, watch Derby 134 over again.

What a race!

Kent was flawless and with more pressure on him than just riding the Derby favorite from post 20 – That was nothing for a rider of his caliber.

Kent’s nine-year-old son, Jacob, has Usher Syndrome and is slowly going blind due to retinal degeneration. Yesterday was the kid’s first trip to the Derby and he got to SEE how great of a rider his father is. He got to SEE his Dad win America’s greatest race for the third time. He got to SEE it! Kent couldn’t ride anything but his best race. There was way too much at stake.

He did it.

Kent rode the best race of his life on the best horse he has ever ridden.

Racing doesn’t get any better than that.

Just ask Jacob Desormeaux.

This entry was posted on Sunday, May 4th, 2008 at 12:11 pm and is filed under Featured Articles. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.