Is there still going to be a Big Brown / Curlin match-up?

Question

Even after the last place finish at the Belmont, do you think Dutrow will still want a match-up race against Curlin?

I still hope they have one! What a great race it would still be, I love both horses and both are champs.

Your thoughts?

Answer 1

I'm sure that Big Brown still wants to race Curlin.  Nothing really went wrong with Big Brown... he just had a bad race since he'd been running so well all spring but had been doing such hard work for those 5 weeks.  Big Brown is still aiming for the Classic so if both horses go to that race, we'll see the matchup.

However, the main concern is Curlin.  He's so good that he needs better competition.  He has to go around the world to destroy new fields of horses.  The big purses are in other countries and Curlin's a good enough horse now to go there and win those huge amounts of money.  Curlin's aiming now for the grass and will go to Europe to run in the Arc if he does well in his grass prep here.  He still might be home for the Breeders Cup, but the Curlin camp is very into trying new things this year with this horse.  And I don't think the Curlin camp really feels obligated to race Big Brown... maybe if it was a triple crown winner, then they'd feel obligated... but since Big Brown flopped in the Belmont, Curlin might be pointed toward competition that Asmussen and Co think are "stronger."

If anyone backs out of the matchup, it's Curlin.

Answer 2

Like the person said before Big Brown just had a bad Belmont Race. A mile and a half is a difficult race to run.  The Breeder's Cup Classic is a mile and a quarter the same as the Kentucky Derby.  I see both Curlin and Big Brown in the race and it being a great race.

Answer 3

The last that I heard was that Big Brown might be entered in the Travers Stakes .I don't think that they will have a match race for just the two of them because of what happened to Ruffian.I had heard that were not to be any more match races. I would love to see the two of them along with other good horses in the same race.

Answer 4

Big Brown has definetly shown talent but he is no Curlin! I dont think that there should be a match race between them just because the last time there was a match race there was disaster (with Ruffian). Match races bring out the speed in horses which these horses have but the faster they go the more likely of injury and racing definetly does not need another incident like that.

But if there was a match up like in the Breeders Cup Classic you cant just look at those two. Like Heatseeker. He is a sythetic specialist. And Colonel John. And Monba. And Adriano. Yes, they were terrible in the Derby but maybe they are built for the synthetic.

And another thing, Curlin and/or Big Brown may not even go to the Classic just because we dont even know if the Classic is going to be on dirt or synthetic. And if Curlin goes to the Arc and surpasses Cigars record he may head straight to the breeding shed after that. We just dont know where they are going.

But regardless of this match up; Big Brown and any other horse is nothing compared to Curlin :)

Answer 5

The Travers Stakes is limited to 3 year olds, so Curlin will not be in the Travers Stakes !! I think Big Brown Hype is pretty much done, but it would be nice to see him get his doors blown off one more time.

Answer 6

Well, based on all of the responses I received to this same question (though "someone" here had it deleted) and what I have read...yes!

If you are asking if there will be a Match Race - between just the two horses - NO!  Not in my opinion, based on everything stated here and what I have read.

I believe that the Travers will be the first opportunity.  Or the Breeder's Cup.  As long as Curlin doesn't go overseas to better competition - and that is based on things I have read here...not my own opinion.  Nor am I condemning the competition here in the US.  

Though it sounds like Big Brown won't be able to give Curlin much competition, as it seems Curlin is on his way to his second "Horse of the Year" win - according to things stated here and what I have read elsewhere.

Answer 7

no...curlin is goin to france and then japan

Answer 8

big brown will never be the same horse.

Answer 9

I THINK CURLIN AGAINST CASINO DRIVE...WOULD

GIVE US A BETTER MATCH UP....

Answer 10

There is a possibility of this happening, Mel- though the last time I heard anything, Dutrow, the trainer, only wants to run the colt in the Travers at Saratoga in August. A lot's going to depend on how the horse performs in that race, and how he holds up under training this summer during the hottest part of the year. I agree that if these two horses were to meet in the Classic this fall, it would be quite a match- but at this point, whether or not that will happen is still very much an open question.