Add trainer Rick Dutrow to the list of people who are critical of Kent Desormeaux's trip on Big Brown in the Belmont Stakes. Right or wrong, it looks like Desormeaux will be Dutrow's scapegoat. While he didn't go as far as I did (I called Desormeaux lazy), Dutrow certainly doesn't sound happy.
Here are some Dutrow samples from The Daily Racing Form:
On pulling the horse up: "I don't know why he had to do that. If he felt the horse was sore, yeah, but the horse was fighting him the whole way through the lane and he was fighting the horse the whole way up till the lane. I just don't get the whole thing."
On the trip: "Getting the horse from the gate to the first turn like that is not the way to play the game," Dutrow said. "A lot of people say that it really confuses the horse. I'm sure he didn't have [any] idea what the hell was going on going into the first turn the way [Desormeaux] was switching him all over the damn track. I don't know what he was doing. Did he tell you what he was doing?"
On possible excuses: I know it's not the combination that our stable has with the horse, me, [exercise rider] Michelle [Nevin], the groom. I know he went into this race unbelievable, so the rest Kent's got to answer."
On not hearing from Desormeaux: "A lot of people came back to the barn - a lot of people - Desormeaux wasn't one of them."
I think the most interesting this about all of this is that Dutrow says --and Desormeaux seems to confirm this -- that the order was to take Big Brown to the lead like in the Flordia Derby, not set the horse outside on the lead like he did in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness. It looked to me like Desormeaux had all the opportunity in the world to get to the lead, and was instead holding the horse from getting there -- I don't get it.
As far as not visiting the barn, Desormeaux said that immediately after the race that it looked like Dutrow looked like he needed his space. I'll agree that the sweat-soaked trainer did look just a bit cranky post-Belmont, but not reaching out by now (and only calling an IEAH partner) was probably a mistake.
It looks like that pat that Desormeaux gave Big Brown after the race might have been the last time that he will have any contact with the horse. While Dutrow didn't come out and say that he would switch jocks next time out -- I think you can read between the lines and figure out if Desormeaux will be in the irons if Big Brown ever races again.
One interesting thing that Desormeaux did suggest is that the three week layoff between the Preakness and Belmont might have been too much time off. Too much time? I didn't see that coming... the month between the Florida and Kentucky Derby certainly didn't seem to hurt the horse.
3 comments:
Our little group was wondering just which one of his connections would crack first and blame another one; well, we have our answer! I expect more to follow in various directions.
Bravo to Dutrow. There was no way to rationalize KD's ride. We deserve a better explanation from the rider.
I was actually at the Belmont Stakes and had a nice view of him coming off the turn. Big Brown fought with KD down the stretch as if to say either get OFF me or let me run. Big Brown wanted to run, but KD knew he couldn't win so he didn't want to race him. It is great to see that KD still hasn't perfected his game after 10 years. I knew Big Brown was in trouble in the paddock when KD put his finger over his lips (in reference to Real Quiet). Well that's all I have to say!
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