Is Big Brown Being Set Up For Failure?

(Casino Drive)

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We all know Big Brown is a good horse. Even if those he's beaten are as bad as people say, he has to be good to do what he's done. But There are two things that stand in his way on Belmont day: The first in the impressive Casino Drive, who has Belmont victory written all over his bloodlines, and the second is those promlematic feet.

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Casino Drive has been so impressive in his only two starts that I have to wonder if he can take down Big Brown. He is a son of Mineshaft by AP Indy, who was a Belmont winner himself, and was the son of Seattle Slew by a Secretariat mare. That's three Belmont winners without any research further. He is also a half brother to 2006 Belmont winner Jazil and a 3/4 brother to 2007 Belmont winner Rags to Riches.

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Big Brown's feet have been a problem for much of his so far brief career, and now as he awaits the Belmont Stakes, he is recovering from a quarter crack. It's healed rather quickly, and it should not bother him at all on race day, but I can't help but wonder if this is some kind of sign screaming out to not run him in the Belmont, for fear of serious injury. Maybe I'm just hung up on the Eight Belles tragedy, but I think I speak for everyone when I say that I'd rather see Brown have to forfeit the Triple Crown by not running than to do so by ending up like her.

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But maybe this is all premonition. After all, I had some of these same feelings before the Preakness. Maybe Big Brown will win it easily and become the Triple Crown winner this sport so badly needs. I think that Casino Drive is the only major obstacle in the way of him doing so.