Big Brown gallops, then flies to Baltimore
BIG BROWN (Boundary), the undefeated winner of the Kentucky Derby (G1), turned in his final gallop at Churchill Downs on Wednesday prior to Saturday's Preakness S. (G1) at Pimlico. The Richard Dutrow trainee galloped 1 1/2 miles under regular exercise rider Michelle Nevin just before rain started to fall on the Twin Spires. "It was just a regular gallop," Dutrow said. "He went good." The gallop was just the third for Big Brown since his sparkling 4 3/4-length victory in the Kentucky Derby on May 3 and marked the first time he had been able to gallop on back-to-back days. Dutrow had chosen to jog his Derby winner a mile on days that the track was wet or sealed. "It hasn't been an issue because he just ran -- we don't have to go out there and ask him to train real hard in the mornings," Dutrow said. "A little break ain't gonna hurt him none. It might even be good for him, you never know. So I can't complain about what's happened since he's run. He's been really good every day." After a daylong wait, Big Brown boarded a van around 4:45 p.m. (EDT) for the short ride to Louisville International Airport, where he boarded a Sutton Forwarding Co. equine transport plane. The flight was scheduled to land at Baltimore-Washington International Airport around 5:30 p.m. (EDT). The van carrying Big Brown, which will receive a police escort, was expected at Pimlico about one hour later.
|
Big Brown will go
to the track at Pimlico Thursday morning, but Dutrow said he had not decided
when the colt will go out for his morning gallop. He added that he has scrapped a plan to give the colt a short breeze late in
the week at Old Hilltop. Big Brown will gallop up to the race.
Dutrow planned to accompany Big Brown on the van and the plane ride to
Baltimore, Maryland. He remained confident about his colt's chances in the second jewel of
the Triple Crown as Big Brown departed Churchill Downs following a two-week stay
"I feel he's the horse to beat in the race," Dutrow said. "I feel he's the
best horse -- I feel they've got him to deal with."
Other Preakness contenders on the same flight to Baltimore include TRES
BORRACHOS (Ecton Park), the third-place finisher in the Arkansas Derby (G2), and
RACECAR RHAPSODY (Tale of the Cat), the fourth-place finisher in the Lexington
S. (G2).
STEVIL (Maria's Mon), the fourth-place finisher in the Blue Grass S. (G1),
and MACHO AGAIN (Macho Uno), the Derby Trial S. winner, left Churchill Downs by
van on Wednesday morning. Those horses traveled to Lexington, Kentucky, to catch
a midmorning flight to Baltimore.
Authors
Categories
FEATURED PRODUCTS
Daily Selections
Full racecard analysis/expert picks for major tracks from America's top handicappers.
Buy Nowe-ponies Picks
E-Ponies computer-based figures have been around since 1997. Using an algorithm written by the business owner and handicapper, Liam Durbin, and powered by BRIS data files, E-Ponies offers a unique, fact-based, dispassionate analysis of every horse in every race, assigning scores for speed, class, form, connections, and more. Forget which jockey owes you money! What does the data say!
Buy NowBruno With the Works
Bruno De Julio & team bring 30+ yrs experience observing racehorses to Brisnet with valuable insight into their morning routines & chances for success in the afternoons.
Buy NowValue Plays AI by Predicteform
Full race card program with easy-to-use win chances and contender classifications for every runner plus analysis of the Best Bet, Live Longshot, and Wagering Suggestions for every race.
Buy NowADVERTISEMENT