He seemed off to me, before the race. Stiff, even.

Steroids were withheld on him prior to the race.

Perhaps, being in pain means that a horse won't naturally run beyond their body.

He looked like he was in alot of pain when he was running. Good job on the jockey for pulling him up and not even trying to finish.

The horse I picked to win, did. I wish I woulda bet on that one!

Good pick, TM, I was hoping for the Triple. I'm glad KD pulled him up to preserve him. I guess Dad was right, he WILL race in the Breeders' Cup Classic this fall, then retire to Japan and make little brown foals.

Tough race to call, they had speed horses with endurance, and good all around horses. The pace wasn't blazing, but Da Atara ran a solid race!

I bet it was Brownie's cracked hoof, combined with the overly hot weather, a hoof to the chest, and just being cranky that prevented him from really concentrating. Too bad, he is a very talented horsie.

Considering his cracked hoof, the oppressive weather here - mid 90's and high humidity, I don't blame the horse for not being 100%. Glad to see his jockey pull him back at the end.

And what bcgrote said...think of all the little horsies that will come from this stud.

I think it's a damned shame that they took the coverage and excitement away from Da Atara to talk exclusively about Big Brown.

Yeah, it would have been cool if he'd won. But he didn't, so why ruin the moment for the winner?!?

I noticed that too. It totally took away from the winner.

I am not too impressed with the genes he is passing on, however....Big Brown has a history of foot problems dating to late last year, when he first arrived in Dutrow's barn at Aqueduct. Twice he was sidelined for 45-day stretches because of abscesses in his left and right front feet.

Retiring in Japan isn't a great deal in the end, either.

I won't speculate. Quarter crack? Heh, maybe. Maybe not. Thoroughbreds are known for having poor feet. I have owned quite a few. Heat? Very well maybe. My horse, Boomer, does not fair well in the summer. Heat really gets to him.

Kudos to KD for pulling him up.

It was a very disappointing day.

To the glue factory!

I was thinking Alpo.

Not funny, or cool. Don't get me started. Touchy subject with me right now.

Ditto.

Oh good grief. Lighten up.

Not at all.

I just had an asswipe two days ago, who knows nothing of my horse's situation, tell me I need to put him down because his tail smells.

So, no I will not lighten up. Not after the two days I have had.

Good point. Da Atara ran one hell of a race.

So you're equating a joke said in a forum, on the internet, by people you've never met to something personal that happened to you?

Yeah, I'm sticking by my original "lighten up" comment.

Sorry, but I can appreciate that it hits a nerve with her, personally.

Horse racing is a sad state of affairs. 16 horses have broken down and been euthanized since the Kentucky derby a month ago. Did ya know that? 16 that aren't newsworthy, because they haven't ran in one of the big three races USA loves. They died before they could get there, actually.

Big Brown ran like s**t today. I knew he wasn't going to win. He wasn't at all antzy to race. I could tell the way he moved, he was not up to speed. I thought his walk was very stiff.

He had a different look about him when we was racing today. He looked pissed off, he wasn't relaxed at all.

Was it the fact that steroids were not used on him as they usually are? That he had no pain meds on board? We probably will never know.

If that is what a horse looks like when he is racing in pain, how many others have their pain masked every time they go out to race only to break down because they couldn't heed the warning signs that they should stop?

Fact of the matter is, these horses never get to be great. There is a reason the Triple crown is elusive. It has to do with the way breeding and racing has changed. Big Brown and all the other colts are ridden before they are two, before they SHOULD be ridden, to make sure joints and bones are fused and finished growing.

And when they have made their owners money, they are pimped out to Japan for stud, or to Korea for Stallion fights when they are not useful for stud anymore. They make to to slaughter along that path eventually.

How did something that is so beautiful and revered end up treated like garbage after it couldn't give any more? They deserve better.

Even if I had not experienced something personal, it's still not funny to me. Saying a horse should be glue because he couldn't perform on a certain day is the kind of mentality that has made this world the way it is today- a disposable society.

Well said!

Um, I have not downvoted anyone. So why am I getting downvoted????

I am merely stating that I do not agree with something, and even though I didn't agree and I did not downvote that person, it means I should be downvoted??

Pfft.

This is the way this site works. Some may disagree with you verbally(or in writing, which really isn't verbal at all), some may express their disagreement by downvoting. Don't take it personally.

Often times, griping about your downvotes will result in many more downvotes.