Big Brown Could be 12th Triple Crown Winner
Big Brown arrived in New York last Monday in preparation for the 140th running of the Belmont Stakes. He arrived amongst a throng of reporters and cameramen all trying to get a shot of the possible 12th Triple Crown winner. He’s been stalled in Barn 2, right next to filly Moonlight Alice. “He’s already trying to make friends, but he wants her to know she has to win at least one Grade 1 if she is going to have any shot with him,” said Mike Lavarone, co-president of IEAH Stables.
Big Brown will be making his sixth career start, and he is undefeated thus far. If he wins he’ll join Seattle Slew as the only other horse to win the Triple Crown undefeated. The Belmont Stakes will be his toughest test because he’ll be racing against horses more pedigreed towards longer race tracks. Facing the distance horses over the 1 ½ mile track will be a different situation. He showed his speed in the Kentucky Derby, his late kick in the Preakness, and now he must show his endurance at the Belmont.
Brown has no issues following the Preakness and seems ready to go for June 7th. “I’m confident in this horse because of the way he’s run his races and the level of competition he’s faced,” said trainer Richard Dutrow Jr. on Monday. “He has become so much better than any of them. And, he has trained and raced in cool weather, so he is still a pretty fresh horse. I really don’t expect to do much more than to give him one maintenance breeze and go on to the Belmont Stakes.”
