Why I'm Rooting Against Big Brown
I wish no ill will on Big Brown, and I know the significance of a Triple Crown Champion. But I just can't bring myself to root for Big Brown in tomorrow's Triple Crown. The reason? I don't want a piece of my own adolescence lost.
I have always been a fan of the great Secretariat (right). In fact, one of the greatest sports moments I've ever enjoyed, was watching Secretariat's final race at Woodbine, in October, 1973. Long time horse racing fans know Secretariat won the Triple Crown in 1973, the first horse to do so in 25-years. Big Red's victory in the Belmont Stakes was epic, 31-lengths, regarded by many as the greatest feat in horse racing history. And I was among the thousands at Woodbine in October, 1973 to see the horse's final race, in the Canadian International. Although not quite as dominant as Secretariat's run in the Belmont, Eddie Maple guided the horse to a 6-length win over Kennedy Road on a cold, damp day outside Toronto. I still have the two-dollar win ticket I purchased that day (uncashed) that says "Big Red" on the top.
I guess I'm afraid if Big Brown wins tomorrow, people may want to compare that great horse with the horse I consider to be the greatest of all time--Secretariat. I can't stand to see that happen. So I'm hoping another horse in tomorrow's field wins the Belmont.
What do you think? Will you be cheering for Big Brown tomorrow in the Belmont?
posted by John Murphy at
11:05 PM
6 Comments:
I won't root against Big Brown, because for anyone to even attempt to compare him to Big Red, he'd have to win by 20 or more today.
If someone wants to argue the point with you, just show them a clip of the '73 Belmont. And then tell them that Secretariat's time is still the track record 35 years later ... and the fastest mile and a half by any horse, on any dirt track, EVER.
If Big Brown gets anywhere near 2:24 -- 2:25, even -- then maybe we'll talk about legacies.
Until that happens, here's your horse:
"... appearing out of a dark drizzle at Woodbine, near Toronto, in the last race of his career, 12 in front and steam puffing from his nostrils as from a factory whistle, bounding like some mythical beast out of Greek lore."
Sports Illustrated: Pure Heart
I'm rooting for 2 things:
1) No horse to die.
2) A horse to dump his jockey off him, hop on his back, put the whip to him, ride him to the finish line, and see how he likes it.
Surfe, I'm a Secretariat fan, but I'm rooting for Big Brown, big time.
They can "compare" all they want, but fame is fickle and that'll be over by the end of summer, or by Christmas if BB runs in the Breeders Cup, or sooner if he runs and gets beaten.
But time and distance will put things back into perspective ( and maybe in more than one way).
TvNB
Well ... guess that answers that.
One more note: Da'Tara's winning time of 2:29.65 would have put him behind My Gallant, the third-place horse in 1973 ... and 34 lengths behind Secretariat.
i also have three win tickets uncashed from 1973
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