Hasta la vista, babe

During the springtime, between a powerful win in the Preakness and a bizarre train wreck in the Belmont Stakes, Big Brown’s chronically fragile left-fore hoof was the problem. In autumn, it is the right-fore, injured in a workout on Monday morning at Aqueduct, that took him out of the Breeders’ Cup Classic, denies both his supporters and detractors the season-ending showdown with defending Horse of the Year and Classic champion Curlin at Santa Anita Park and leaves the fatalists, who predicted early in the season that the season’s leading 3-year-old would be retired before the Breeders’ Cup, wondering what took so long to arrive at hasta la vista, babe.

Little has been said of late in regard to Big Brown’s infamously tender extremities, but the announcement that he would never again race on grass following a very pedestrian if successful Haskell Invitational and a very ordinary effort in a phony turf stakes created for is convenience by Monmouth Park officials were not positive signs. Rick Dutrow continued to train Big Brown on turf, the surface on which he injured the right hoof while breezing in company with Kip Deville on Columbus Day. In the words of owner Michael Iavarone, half big Brown’s hoof was torn off.

His may be the most celebrated three-race, seven-week career – beginning with the Florida Derby and ending with the Preakness – in the sport’s history. The fiery brilliance that made him an overnight sensation, was gone after the Preakness, never to return, and though the only horse of substance he ever defeated, Colonel John, was eliminated early in the Kentucky Derby, the perception, however misplaced, that Big Brown was capable of defeating Curlin would have provided a good deal of media momentum going into the Breeders’ Cup. That was lost on the eve of the pre-entry deadline. Now, the most intriguing story in the Classic is that of 3-year-old Casino Drive, the Japanese colt who, though undefeated, has run only three times in his career.

As a result of Big Brown’s retirement, William Hill, the British bookmaking firm, immediately shortened the ante-post price on Curlin from 3-1 to 9-4. European challenger Henrythenavigator is now the 9-2 second choice. Casino Drive is 7-1 to pull off what many consider an impossible victory and Colonel John, who reestablished himself in the Travers, is 8-1.

Eleven days before the 25th Breeders’ Cup, the Classic a golden opportunity – the chance to bet against Big Brown – is also lost.

But weep not for IEAH Stable. Soon, Big Brown will be in Kentucky, where despite his history of infirm hooves and his short career, he will be bred to an array of mares and the real money will roll in. -- PM