Big Brown Out Of The Breeders’ Cup And Retiring Early

After much early speculation about a match-up with defending champ Curlin and horse racing’s all-time leading money winner, Big Brown is officially out of the Breeders’ Cup Classic and retiring for good following a hoof injury during a routine workout at Aqueduct.

The Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner has been plagued with hoof problems for the past year. Cracked heels, glued on shoes, and now a 3-inch chunk of flesh has been torn out of his left hind foot when he caught it with the opposite hoof. It certainly wasn’t the spectacular retirement performance owner Michael Iavarone was hoping for in the Classic — but probably not as big a disappoinment as running dead last in the Belmont to give up a Triple Crown win.

Big Brown’s injury could take at least two months to heal, making it impossible for him to run in the Breeders’ Cup Classic on Oct. 25 at Santa Anita. Big Brown is due at Three Chimneys Farm in Midway, Kentucky, by the end of the year to begin his stud career, preventing him from getting back on the track one last time. At Three Chimneys he will be joining Dynaformer (sire of Barbaro) and Smarty Jones, who like Big Brown dominated the first two legs of the Triple Crown only to fail in the Belmont, among other lesser known thoroughbreds. The famous Seattle Slew, the next to last Triple Crown winner in 1977, also stood stud at Three Chimneys for 17 years.

Just how much it’ll cost to make Big Brown babies remains to be seen. Three Chimneys signed a stud deal reportedly worth $50 million. A win in the BC Classic could have upped the asking price, though Three Chimneys president Case Clay is sure Big Brown will still command a high fee.

Michael Iavarone isn’t worried about Big Brown’s stud value or racing’s ability to foster new stars.

“He’s a one in a million as an owner and as far as the fans are concerned, there are going to be more Big Browns that come down the road,” he said. “The game is going to be OK as long as horses like Big Brown keep coming along.”

In eight lifetime starts, Big Brown has won seven of those races and over $3.6 million. He will go down in history as an almost Triple Crown winner in a controversial year for horse racing with much discussion of the ethics of running and breeding him on bad hooves and the unexpected death of Kentucky Derby runner-up filly Eight Belles. We can hope and pray that his offspring get all of his speed and heart and none of his foot problems–and that all goes well for the horses racing in the upcoming Breeders’ Cup.