Well, Big Brown failed in his bid to win horse racing's coveted Triple Crown. After victories in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, Big Brown fell short at Belmont Park. Ever since living in Baltimore (home of the Preakness), I've been slightly interested in horse racing, and I pay attention each year around Derby time to see if the there might be another Triple Crown winner. I honestly am not sure if the sport is cruel to the horses or not, but I can't help be captivated by the mystique surrounding the sport's biggest three races.
Even with the defeat, Big Brown joins an elite group of horses. Since 1919, only 11 horses have won the Triple Crown, and none since Affirmed in 1978. That's a 30-year drought, so each time a horse comes close, it's exciting. In all, Big Brown became the 44th horse to win at least two of the races, but only the 21st to win the first two legs. He also became the seventh horse since 1997 to win the first two, only to fail at the Belmont. Given these facts, it seems evident that despite the loss, Big Brown is among elite company.
Still, it would be hard to match the sheer dominance displayed by Secretariat in 1973. In the Kentucky Derby, he ran each 1/4 mile segment faster than the one prior to it, which means that he was accelerating throughout the entire 1.25 mile race - fortunate for him, as he started out near the back. Check out his races on You Tube - especially the Belmont, where he won by an incredible 31 lengths.
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