Were you really surprised that Big Brown lost his bid for the Triple Crown ?

Question

I was not. Has any sporting event lived up to that kind of hype ?

Answer 1

Not really. And, I am glad. He would've looked odd on that list had he won. Where were his epic battles, a la Affirmed and Alydar throughout his career? Did he come close to any track records like Secretariat? Was he a horse that was viewed as " better than having an empty stall" like Assault? Who was afraid to race against him? Count Fleet inspired the masses during a World War. Big Brown's connections made him less than appealing to this fan and I'll gladly wait for a more true Triple Crown winner to come along.

Answer 2

Yes, I follow the sport quite close, and even lost a considerable amount of money betting on him!  I am sure I am not alone, but that doens't help my pocket book any!  He is a wonderful creature.  Too bad the people around him aren't!

Answer 3

When will people learn to ignore sports hype?  If someone tells you someone or something is a shoo-in, you can bet they are not.  

See NE Patriots and Big Brown:  two "shoo-ins".

Answer 4

no.....i was 15 when affirmed won in 1978.......so 30 years

later I'm still looking for the next coming of affirmed, and big

brown....was not and could not be affirmed, not even in

his dreams....

Answer 5

No I was not. I mean really these are immature horses (horses don't fully mature till they are five... these horses are two and three) that are exposed to extreme pressure and stress. This breaks and wears them down and then they are unsound. Then when they breed unsound horses to unsound horses it passes it down the line. I think Big Brown just got a dose of his genetics and more big racehorses need to break down so that the public really sees how cruel and abusive horse racing is. I am not involved with PETA or the humane society, I am a horse owner and a person who avidly competes in horse jumping, and I am simply appalled with the carelessness which these owners/trainers have with these animals. I also doubt any sporting even that could live up to such hype.

Answer 6

I was really shocked! Everyone kept going on and on about how he had no competion and how he was a shoo in and then he got dead last. Totally and utter shock.

I'm just glad I didn't bet on it!

Answer 7

No I wasn't.  The media grossly overhypes every horse that wins the first two legs of the Triple Crown.  In this case his trainer grossly overhyped him too.

Answer 8

No. I am from Louisville, home of the Kentucky Derby..You should never believe the hype..bet on the longshots.. The jockey did the right thing pulling him back, we have had a lot of tragic endings the past few years.

Answer 9

Well I was shocked.  I live in the UK and stayed up late to see the race,  thought I would be witnessing a triple crown winner.

He ran drug free - not sure if this had anything to do with how bad he raced or just the fact that he was knackered - 3 races in 5 weeks.

Well lets see what happens next year ...............

Answer 10

I had high hopes for Big Brown but I can hardly say that I was surprised he lost the Belmont Stakes. There have been a great many horses who won the first 2 legs of the Triple Crown but then lost the Belmont Stakes race, some mightier than Big Brown. Three grueling races in 5 weeks, the third being the most grueling, is an extremely taxing feat. Such is why the final jewel of the Triple Crown is so difficult to attain. Here is a list of horses who won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness but then lost the Belmont Stakes race (Big Brown now added to the list):

2008 Big Brown

2004 Smarty Jones

2003 Funny Cide

2002 War Emblem

1999 Charismatic

1998 Real Quiet

1997 Silver Charm

1989 Sunday Silence

1987 Alysheba

1981 Pleasant Colony

1979 Spectacular Bid

1971 Canonero II

1969 Majestic Prince

1968 Forward Pass

1966 Kauai King

1964 Northern Dancer

1961 Carry Back

1958 Tim Tam

1944 Pensive

1936 Bold Venture

1932 Burgoo King

Answer 11

Yes.  I thought he was going to have an easy time of it, just as his connections thought and had indicated

Answer 12

Neither was i. I was hoping that he would only for the fact that he was an amazing horse and a horse would finally win the triple crown. but horse racing is never something that you can count on 100% nothing is ever a for sure thing. And im not sure about any other sport

Answer 13

I was, but I also wasn't.  I was hoping he would win it, but I  figured it was going to be like all of the other horses, over the past several years, that had a shot, and didn't win.

Answer 14

I was.  However Big Brown was not him self.  Something is wrong with him.  It could be a number of things but he has to have something wrong.  

Me and my family noticed how bad he was foaming and sweating.  All though it was really hot we've never seen a horse look like that before.  Especially him.  It would take more than high temps to make a horse foam as bad as he was.

P.S.  

putts_e,  You forgot about the most memerable horse:  Barbaro  May he rest in peace.