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Belmont Stakes 2008

Big Brown Comes To Ground At Belmont Park


IEAH Stables and Paul Pompa Jr.’s Big Brown arrived safely at Belmont Park on Monday afternoon, taking in the throng of reporters, photographers and well-wishers with the confident nonchalance he displayed in winning the Kentucky Derby and Preakness.

On June 7, he will seek to become Thoroughbred racing’s 12th Triple Crown winner when he goes to post in the 140th running of the Grade 1, $1 million Belmont Stakes, the “Test of the Champion.”

Once he arrived at Barn 2, Big Brown made himself at home. He munched some hay, awaited for his red, rubber ball to be hung outside of his stall and spent a good part of his time stretching his neck as far as he could to his right to touch noses with a cute chestnut filly named 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 Iavarone, co-president of IEAH Stables, who before the Preakness, announced that Big Brown would stand at Robert Clay’s Three Chimneys Farm in Midway, Ky. when his racing career is over.

“Seriously, the thing about him that stands out to me the most is his class,” Iavarone continued. “He is the most intelligent horse I have ever seen. He loves people, love all this attention and he loves to run.”

Big Brown, a son of Boundary, will be making only his sixth career start in the 1½-mile Belmont Stakes, the oldest and longest of the Triple Crown races. He is also hoping to join Seattle Slew (1977) as the only horse to win the Triple Crown while undefeated. Seattle Slew was 9-0 after he won the Belmont Stakes.

“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.

“This horse has an aura about him, and people who will come out to watch him race will be in for a thrill.”

Hall of Fame jockey Kent Desormeaux was also among those to welcome Big Brown to Belmont Park.


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Denis of Cork Puts in Work for Belmont Stakes


Mr. and Mrs. William K. Warren Jr.’s Denis of Cork, third in the Kentucky Derby, worked five furlongs at Churchill Downs this morning in 1:01.00, breezing. The work ranked fifth of 31 at the distance on the fast main track.

Trained by David Carroll, the Harlan’s Holiday colt is questionable for the Belmont Stakes.

Carroll knows about upsets in this historic race. In 1989, he worked as an exercise rider aboard Easy Goer for Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey. That year, Easy Goer won the Belmont Stakes to ruin the Triple Crown hopes of Sunday Silence, one of 18 horses to lose the crown here.

Carroll also was the exercise rider for Seeking the Gold, sire of 2006 Belmont Stakes winner Jazil.

Grade 2 Peter Pan winner Casino Drive, Anak Nakal, Tale of Ekati, fourth in the Kentucky Derby, and Tomcito are also expected to run in the Belmont Stakes. Preakness runner-up Macho Again and third-place finisher Icabad Crane and Racecar Rhapsody are now listed as questionable.

First race post on Belmont Stakes Day, Saturday, June 7, is noon. ESPN will provide live coverage of the earlier races on the day’s 13-race live card form noon – 5 p.m. ABC will then pick up the coverage from 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Belmont Park will offer a $1 million-guaranteed Pick 6 on races 6-11 and a $1 million-guaranteed Pick 4 on races 8-12.


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Don't Get Hosed by Flood of On-line Belmont Stakes Tickets

With Big Brown vying to become racing’s 12th Triple Crown winner and first since Affirmed in 1978, tickets are naturally in great demand for the Belmont Stakes on Saturday, June 7.

But fans should check with the New York Racing Association first before going on-line for over-priced grandstand tickets, some reported at $150 and more.

There are still approximately 4,000 grandstand seats available for $60 and for $40.

Good Luck On All Your Horse Racing Bets!