Big Brown represented by first U.S. winner
Champion and dual classic winner Big Brown registered his first North American winner as a freshman sire on Saturday when his juvenile daughter Brown Eyes Blue wired the 2ND race at Churchill Downs by 1 3/4 lengths. The Dale Romans-trained miss ran six furlongs on the fast dirt track in 1:12 1/5 under jockey Shaun Bridgmohan to easily capture her career debut. Brown Eyes Blue has passed through the sales ring twice, bringing $70,000 as a Keeneland September yearling before being purchased by her current connections, Twin Creeks Racing Stables, for $180,000 at the Keeneland April two-year-old sale.
Big Brown's first official winner came in Russia, where his juvenile daughter Ruby Brown scored at Kazan on June 15. A $15,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase by Stella Prima, the Kentucky-bred filly defeated males while completing five furlongs in 1:06 2/5. Ruby Brown is out of the Red Ransom mare Truely Ruby, a half-sister to Group 1 heroine Majestic Roi.
Big Brown dominated his first five starts, including the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Grade 1 Florida Derby, only to have his Triple Crown dream shattered by quarter-cracks. Pulled up in the Belmont Stakes, he rebounded with victories in the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational and the Monmouth Stakes, but suffered another injury that ruled him out of the Breeders' Cup Classic and led to his retirement.
Big Brown, who was honored as the champion three-year-old colt of 2008 following his accomplishments, compiled an 8-7-0-0 mark with a bankroll of $3,614,500 during his time on track. The bay seven-year-old is out of the Nureyev mare Mien, and comes from the same female family as 1997 champion older mare Hidden Lake.
Big Brown stands for $35,000, live foal, at Three Chimneys Farm near Midway, Kentucky.