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I haven't paid much attention to horse racing lately, but I watched the pre-race show for the Kentucky Derby. When I saw Big Brown for the first time I told my wife and daughters (who have heard me bitch over the years about thoroughbred breeders) that Secretariat lived again! Before the Derby started I told them that, barring injury or disease, Big Brown was a sure bet to win the Derby and the Belmont. I wasn't so sure about the Preakness because of its shorter distance. Like Secretariat, Big Brown is built for STAMINA. Of course, that worry has now been put to rest!
Looking more closely at Big Brown in the Preakness pre-race show, and wracking my brain trying to bring up mental images of Secretariat, I decided that Big Brown is not quite the horse Secretariat was. But he is a close second and WAY superior to any other horse racing today.
I hate what breeders have done to horse racing, and I hope Big Brown stays healthy, wins the Belmont by at least 20 lengths, and convinces breeders of the error of their ways. They seem to think that the ideal horse should be an overgrown grayhound dog. That body style is fine for dogs, but doesn't scale up to the size of a horse. The streamlined and skinny upper body can't hold a proper-sized heart and lungs, so races have to be shorter and horses are still over-taxed. And the toothpick legs! Horses break their legs and have to be euthanized way too often. If a jockey looks at a horse cross-eyed he is liable to break the horse's leg.
Big Brown's only weakness, in comparison to Secretariat, is that even his legs are too skinny, though they are sturdier-looking than any of the other horses. We all know he has foot problems. His gorgeous body is just a tad too big for his legs.
Go Big Brown!!!
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