NEWS
Iavarone hopeful Big Brown is back on his game
Posted: Thursday, July 31, 2008 4:21 PM
BIG BROWN
NYRA photo
by Tom De Martini
Nearly eight weeks have elapsed since IEAH Stable co-President Michael Iavarone watched Big Brown’s attempt at Thoroughbred racing’s first Triple Crown in 30 years wither in the late afternoon heat and humidity of Belmont Park.
Those eight weeks have seemed like an eternity to Iavarone, who went through the angst of watching trainer Richard Dutrow Jr. and veterinarians search unsuccessfully for any malady that could explain the dual classic winner’s pulling up in the Belmont Stakes (G1) on June 7.
“It could have been one of 29 different things. He ran a terrific Preakness [Stakes, (G1)], had the quarter crack, had his training schedule altered to one five-eighths breeze,” Iavarone said following Thursday’s post position draw for the $1-million Haskell Invitational Stakes Presented by Vonage (G1) at Monmouth Park.
“He was hot in the detention barn before the race, broke to his right, ran up on another horse, had a loose shoe. We have to go back to the Preakness, turn the page, and move on.”
The waiting for Iavarone and Dutrow finally ends on Sunday, when the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) and Preakness winner starts on his road back to redemption in the 41st renewal of the Haskell, the marquee event of Monmouth Park’s 99-day meeting.
Iavarone said he always thought the speed-favoring Monmouth main track would benefit Big Brown’s running style, but admitted he probably would have caved to Dutrow’s insistence to run in the Travers Stakes (G1) on August 23 at Saratoga Race Course.
“I’ve always wanted to run [at Monmouth] because the track is conducive to his style,” Iavarone said. “It’s a similar track to Gulfstream Park and he flourished over that surface. I was concerned that the track at Saratoga is a little too deep and the depth of the track was also an issue at Belmont.”
However, getting the Boundary colt back to competition on any racetrack is relief enough.
“Just turning the page right now is good enough. This is not the dream situation for us,” Iavarone said.
“The dream was to win the Belmont and watch him finish his career undefeated. But, when a horse is taken up with no apparent physical problems, you can’t be 100% confident in any race. I want to come out of this race knowing this horse is where he was before the Belmont.”
Big Brown, who is scheduled to arrive at Monmouth Park on Saturday morning, worked six furlongs in 1:10.86 on July 26 at Aqueduct, which gave the owner a much-needed boost of confidence.
“I wasn’t there, but they said it may be fastest six-furlong breeze in the history of the track. People who saw it said he did it so easy, it looked like [1:14],” Iavarone said.
Iavarone said the current million-dollar question is where Big Brown will land if he runs to expectations on Sunday.
“The least option is the Travers, which is in 20 days and I’m not that excited about the Jockey Club Gold Cup [Invitational (G1), September 27],” he said. “The race in Massachusetts [the $500,000 Massachusetts Handicap at Suffolk Downs] or the Goodwood Stakes [G1] at Santa Anita are races I’d look at.”
Tom De Martini is a New Jersey-based Thoroughbred Times correspondent
