Posted on 05/25/2008 11:04:15 AM PDT by gate2wire
Big Brown, who will be seeking the coveted Triple Crown in the June 7 Belmont Stakes (gr. I), has a "slight" quarter crack on the inside of his left front foot, trainer Rick Dutrow said Sunday, May 25.
Dutrow said he noticed a small spot on the colt's foot Friday afternoon and notified hoof lameness specialist Ian McKinlay, who treated it. By Saturday, it had turned into a slight quarter crack, five-eighths of an inch long. McKinlay applied iodine solution and said he’s confident it is very minor. He will “lace it up,” and if everything is good, the colt will on the track for full training by Thursday.
"The horse is in no discomfort, he doesn’t even know anything is wrong," Dutrow said. "He is trying to figure out why he is not going to the track, and he has been tough to walk. Missing a few days of training is not going to hurt us at all. If I can work him on Tuesday before the Belmont, that would be perfect. Or even Wednesday would be good."
"This injury is nothing remotely close to the two foot injuries he had last fall and winter," McKinlay said. "Those were wall separations and were very tender. This is just a straight quarter crack that will pretty much heal by itself."
(Excerpt) Read more at tcm.bloodhorse.com ...
If I was his owner I wouldn’t race him until this was healed. Rather have another 2-3 good years of racing than risk a big problem because of a cracked hoof.
True, but let's see how he fares in the Belmont before putting him up there with the legendary Secretariat. I still say he'll lose in a close one.
His feet have consistently been his weakness. And they are a main reason he will, at most, race 3 more times before retiring to stud.
They never planned on racing him 2 or 3 years. This was always going to be his last year.
Don’t know exactly what it is, but these horses get quarter cracks, they don’t win.
Trainers say it’s OK, vets say it’s OK, owners say it’s OK...horses don’t win with quarter cracks.
Maybe this horse is good enough against a weak field, could happen...I’m not going to take 2/5 to see it. I’ll go two-fisted against him.
Shame, because I think the horse is special.
Agree. But they will be optimistic and insist this is no big deal. Must go for the TC.
The horse is already worth $70 million...but history is history.
It can matter a lot. The process of repair (nails, sowing it up, etc.) has to be carefully done, or it causes problems of its own, especially on thoroughbreds. It will for sure increase the odds against him from 1-5 to 4-3 or something like that.
“His feet have consistently been his weakness.”
Yes. Didn’t get on his bandwagon until a couple days before the Derby. Kept waiting for this kind of news. His figures were awesome, he was visually impressive, but there was a reason he was lightly raced.
He ran down in the Preakness and now this...
Think Sunday Silence was beat by a superior horse at a mile and a half. Smarty Jones also had distance limitations. Don’t remember who beat Funnycide: Empire Maker, Sarava? Anyway, Big Brown had a big shot at this, IMHO.
Now I can’t bet him.
Dude, it was a joke.
But I’m serious now, I forgot about your little obsessive compulsive horse thingy.
So I’m pinging the mod so maybe he can remove both our comments. Someday, maybe, you’ll be a better man for it.
But not today, obviously.
Oooooh....
I’m makin popcorn!
Darn.... sorry to hear about the quater crack. Big Brown is one great colt.
“Dude”, this is the third time you’ve insulted the way I make my living...kiss off.
Thanks to both of you for the responses.
I doubt it was the crack that made him choose not to run. He wanted to after he was jostled. He just did not want to when the jockey asked. It may be the heat or he got tired of being held when he wanted to run. Horse sometimes decide not to put forth the effort. Especially smart ones that are easily handled. His notorious calmness is not always an asset. Smart horses sometimes decide I’ve had enough.
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