Rick Dutrow, Jr.?

Question

Just wondering what other people think about Rick Dutow's super confident manner. I think Rick Dutrow is an excellent trainer who puts his horses well-being ahead of winning races (as evidenced by the length of time he gave Big Brown to recuperate from his quarter crack last year which was more serious than the current one). However, he can be pretty confident (another word that comes to mind is arrogant). I used find him annoying, but now I think he's just an amusing guy. I was curious as to other peoples' opinions of him. Especially the fact that he has made negative comments about other horses and trainers.

Answer 1

he was a druggie and a cheater who has done far more to harm the sport than he ever could  do to help it...he doesnt deserve Big Brown... any trainer that was any good at all would have the same results with BB.

Answer 2

we need this in horseracing....just hope it's a very clean

run race......

tip......6/5/08.....churchill.....race 1........zakedor.....

Answer 3

Well, I used to think he was just arrogant.   In fact it had me put a wager on Colonel John in the derby because he was too arrogant.    There is one thing about talking and not being able to back it up, but he backs up what he says arrogant or not, has the hot hand with other horses now so who can fault him for being arrogant?    If he talked loudly and could not back it up, it is another thing all together.

Answer 4

I think he talks too much and it is ok to be confident,but it is not ok to put others down.

Answer 5

i think that Dutrow and his comments are great.  they are bringing a h**l of alot of excitement to horse racing.  heck here we are talking about him again.   his cocky and arrogant attitude is really fun to watch and read about.  i think the older folks are more appalled by what he says then the younger generation. i know me and my friends absolutely love this guy stirring the pot they way he is.   there is nothing wrong with a little trash talk.  and confident bravado.  joe namath guaranteed victory.  he delivered and became a legend.  mark messier had an illustrious career but the highlight has to be when he guaranteed victory game six against the devils and scored a hat trick for the win.  dutrow is doing the same thing.  this is the stuff legends are made of. bottom line.  and anyone who has never heard of the name dutrow in horse racing hasn't been around enough. his father was an excellent trainer and taught him very well.  and don't forget Rick Dutrow Jr. trained saint liam who won horse of the year.  so hes no flash in the pan.  as far as the steroids from what ive read winstrol really only increases a horses appetite.  i highly doubt the result of any of his races would have differed at all.  face it people horse racing needs more young fans, i go to the track on a normal day and I'm the only one there under 80.  dutrow is just what we need.

Answer 6

The sport of horse racing has been full of controversy for years with drugging, possible abuse and clear fixing of racing and in bad need of something to redeem it. Along comes Dutrow who is quite a character. A convicted drug user, his ex and mother of his daughter is murdered under suspicious circumstances, estranged from his family, been suspended from racing several times for numerous violations, abandoned his daughter at times, license revocations from the sport and the list goes on. He is touted as having turned his life around but has he? or did he just luck out with this horse? He admits to giving Big Brown the steroid Winstrol which for the life of me I can not understand how it could be legal. Absurd! I think that will change after this race. This is what got athletes like Clemens, Jones and others in trouble and even jailed for. He also is an admitted problem gambler on horse racing which again got athletes like Pete Rose suspended for life from their sport but horse racing seems to encourage. Again that I think needs to change. Has he cleaned his life up, stopped drinking, using drugs and being honest in the handling and training his horses, done right by his family, daughter? Come on!!...... He is a guy who has had issues and will continue to do so but for some reason was blessed to train  the real hero of this story... Big Brown. Any trainer who got this horse would have had the same result. It is the horse that should be getting the praise. This guy hit the lottery landing the training job for Big Brown. I just hope he does right by his daughter and maybe does something charitable to make up for his past and present misdeeds.

Answer 7

I have to admit that most people on my side of the pond had never heard of him till Big Brown came on the scene, and I have to say that most people I have spoken to have a very poor opinion of him.

He has broken numerous rules and regulations within racing over the years - actions that would probably have resulted in a very lengthy ban if they had happened here.

He seems to be proud that he runs his horses on steroids (legal or not, they are steroids) and shoots his mouth off about it at a time when public confidence in American racing is at an all-time low.

You say he has made negative comments about other horses and trainers?  Well I'm afraid that is bad sportsmanship.

I don't begrudge the horse at all, he deserves to win the TC, but the trainer is a different matter all together.

Answer 8

I agree completely with everything MissNewmarketSalsa said.  That doesn't happen often :o)

He says really awful, really stupid things.  Not just about other trainers and horses, but about people he works with.  I wouldn't hate him half as much if I didn't have to listen to him.  On an ESPN clip, he was talking to one of the girls who works for him... he walked out of the room and said "these broads."

I hate that the guy breaks the rules all the time.  He has major drug violations every year for the last 10 years or so.  People say who cares because he's following the rules with Big Brown... I don't think that's any excuse... He has to follow the rules with Big Brown or else he loses the Triple Crown... he's not stupid enough to break the rules this time, but I guarantee he gets in trouble again for some claimers or allowance horses in his barn.  He took drugs for so long himself that he doesn't care about giving them to his horses... he's been in trouble for over-bute-ing his horses.  That's inexcusable... that horse was hurt and he drugged it and ran it anyway.  He's careful with Big Brown, allowing him to recover from his quarter crack, but with his lesser horses he drugs them and forces them to run anyway.

I don't think it's fair that he gives Big Brown steroids when other runners aren't on steroids.  They are legal, but they shouldn't be.  Eight Belles wasn't on steroids and in a fair race she could have beaten Big Brown.  If Big Brown is allowed to take steroids, everyone's going to have to give their horses steroids in order to have any chance of beating him.  That's not something that we want to encourage in horse racing.