06/24/08 Big Brown, a big, black cloud

Some horse industry leaders are saying it was a good for racing when Big Brown failed to win the Triple Crown. I'm Susan Allen flying solo today as Mr. Keane is out ranching, so stay tuned for more on the Big Brown controversy. Unlike Seattle Slew or Barbaro, Big Brown's run for the Triple Crown failed to garner much enthusiasm from racing insiders. In the 80's I was involved in the thoroughbred racing industry in California, so I thought I would share my "two cents" on why Big Brown's loss could actually be good for the racing industry. While the "Sport of Kings desperately needs a Triple Crown winner Big Brown wasn't the horse for many reasons. Fresh from baseball's steroid scandal, a win by Big Brown (whose trainer, Richard Dultrow admitted to juicing his horse,) would have been like a Barry Bonds home run, but worse; the poor animal doesn't have a say over what goes in it's body. According racing insider and industry author Peter Thomas Fornatale "Outside the United States, racing fans and horsemen are universally astounded by the amount of medication legal and illegal that horses receive here." A travesty! The "Sport of Kings" doesn't need trainers with dubious backgrounds like Big Browns' who had seventy two fines or suspensions. A fed up public doesn't need horses that are basically living hedge funds as in the case of Big brown who is managed and owned by the International Equine Acquisitions Holdings. Brown Brown's win would have been another black cloud for horse racing. Big Brown Big wake up call!