by Steve Bailey
If things get any better for trainer Rick Dutrow Jr., who will saddle 3-to-1 morning-line favorite Big Brown in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) on Saturday, he may not know what to do with himself.
“I’m having as much fun as I can have here,” Dutrow said with a chuckle on Wednesday morning. “I’m with all my people. My family is coming in tonight. My girlfriend is coming in tonight. …I’m in a good zone right now. It’s all good, babe.
“Mainly, though, it’s because the horse is so good. It couldn’t be any better as far as I can see. I hope I’m not missing anything.”
Dutrow has not missed much so far with Big Brown, who is unbeaten in three career starts and enters off an impressive five-length victory in the $1-million Florida Derby (G1) on March 29.
The bay Boundary colt, owned by IEAH Stables and Paul Pompa Jr., made a trip to the Churchill Downs starting gate on Wednesday, and Dutrow plans to breeze him three furlongs and school him in the paddock on Thursday.
“We put him in [the gate] and he was very good,” said Dutrow, who will saddle his first Derby starter. “He also galloped around one time and looked great. He seems like he was born for this track.”
Dutrow and Big Brown's other connections will be 16th at the post position draw on Wednesday afternoon in Louisville.
The trainer said he would like to see the horse work between :36 and :37 on Thursday morning, giving the speedy colt a chance to stretch his legs after arriving in Kentucky on Monday.
“I don’t want him to go too fast because we’ve got him where we want to be,” he said. “I just want him to get a little feel for the place and let him know that something is going on. Things are coming to a head and he knows it. He’s not stupid.”
Dutrow said that Big Brown is a pussycat compared to many other three-year-olds, who tend to be a bit full of themselves as they grow into maturity.
“He loves people and he loves other horses,” he said. “You could let your kids play with him or he could be a pleasure riding horse. He’s a dream come true, that’s what he is.”
Dutrow remained confident that Big Brown is the horse to beat in the $2-million first leg of the Triple Crown, refusing to back down from earlier comments that his horse is by far the best.
“I really feel that if he runs his race and gets a clean break, I don’t see any other horse that can just beat him. I really don’t.”
Asked what kind of favorite he thought Big Brown would be following he post-position draw and then at post time on Saturday, Dutrow needed only one word to answer the query.
“Big,” he said with grin.
Steve Bailey is deputy news editor of Thoroughbred Times