The Racing Hub : Churchill Downs

Big Brown is No Curlin

cdawahare — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 13:44:00 GMT

By John Clay, Lexington Herald Leader

Unlike last Saturday, this time the superstar delivered.

Big time.

There is only one true superstar on the Thoroughbred racing planet right now, and it isn't that worn-out 3-year-old who dissolved into a Big Brown meltdown in the Long Island heat during last Saturday's Belmont Stakes.

Curlin is king of the Sport of Kings, as the reigning Horse of the Year proved again Saturday, carrying 128 pounds in comfortable fashion, assuming control at the head of the stretch and cruising to a 4¼-length win in the Grade I Stephen Foster Handicap at Churchill Downs.

Remember that pre-Belmont chatter of a possible matchup, if not match race, between Big Brown and Curlin somewhere down the line?

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Q&A: Joe Drape from Churchill Downs

cdawahare — Thu, 01 May 2008 13:22:00 GMT

The Rail invites readers to submit questions for Joe Drape, The New York Times’s Eclipse Award-winning horse racing writer.

To submit a question, add a comment below. Joe will be checking in from Churchill Downs throughout the day Thursday to talk about the Derby field, the draw, workouts and anything else readers want to know about.

Have a question about synthetic surfaces? Want to know more about Big Brown’s glue-on shoes? Just ask.

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Blinker's Off - Wednesday, April 30

cdawahare — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 21:43:00 GMT

From Railbird -

Graham Motion, a great guy but not exactly a human quote machine, has one good line this week for reporters about Adriano and he's sticking to it: "I must be the only trainer in the world with an A.P. Indy that can't run on dirt."...

Speaking of one-liners, Henny Youngman used to have a good one about racing. "I once bet on a horse that was so slow, I saw him turn around and say to the jockey, 'Whaddya hittin' me for, there's nobody behind us."

Todd Pletcher missed the trainer's dinner Tuesday night with either strep throat or a flu bug, depending on who you talk to. He arrived at his Churchill Downs barn this morning, however, looking razor sharp as always, moments after Monba and Cowboy Cal danced off the van from Keeneland and into the barn. Continue Reading...