Big Brown has Quarter Crack

[Pedigree Ann]

Buckpasser had a problem with quarter cracks - he missed the entire Triple Crown while his hoof grew out after having one - but he still managed to win 25 of 31 races over 3 seasons of racing, from 2 to 4.

I copied this from a vet report:

"Quarter cracks are a common cause of foot lameness and/or decreased athletic performance in race and sport horses. They typically originate at the coronary band and continue distally. They are full thickness, extending into the dermis of the hoof, which leads to instability, inflammation and/or infection. Quarter cracks are painful due to infection and/or the result of instability caused by movement of the hoof wall posterior to the crack. The vertical movement of the heel bulb on the affected side further complicates this instability. Causes of quarter cracks may include trauma to the coronary band; preexisting damage to the corium from infection; abnormal hoof conformation - especially the long toe underrun heel; focal foot imbalances; short shoes; or an abnormal landing pattern when the foot strikes the ground."

I see both genetic and environmental factors mentioned as possible causes.

Originally Posted by Pedigree Ann

I see both genetic and environmental factors mentioned as possible causes.

Damn global warming strikes again!!!

[Storm Cadet]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

I guess that's why he supposedly didn't come to the track yesterday morning.

NY Newsday reported that he did gallop his usual 1 1/2 miles yesterday as written by Ed MacNamara.

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by Pedigree Ann

Buckpasser had a problem with quarter cracks - he missed the entire Triple Crown while his hoof grew out after having one - but he still managed to win 25 of 31 races over 3 seasons of racing, from 2 to 4.

I copied this from a vet report:

"Quarter cracks are a common cause of foot lameness and/or decreased athletic performance in race and sport horses. They typically originate at the coronary band and continue distally. They are full thickness, extending into the dermis of the hoof, which leads to instability, inflammation and/or infection. Quarter cracks are painful due to infection and/or the result of instability caused by movement of the hoof wall posterior to the crack. The vertical movement of the heel bulb on the affected side further complicates this instability. Causes of quarter cracks may include trauma to the coronary band; preexisting damage to the corium from infection; abnormal hoof conformation - especially the long toe underrun heel; focal foot imbalances; short shoes; or an abnormal landing pattern when the foot strikes the ground."
I see both genetic and environmental factors mentioned as possible causes.

there's your gremlin i bet.

[Pedigree Ann]

Originally Posted by pgardn

Northern Dancer.

It rears its ugly head here and there.

Northern Dancer didn't have a problem with quarter cracks, as I recall. Ran 9 times at 2, 9 times at 3 before he bowed a tendon after the Queen's Plate, to the best of my recollection. Danzig had a tricky knee that limited his starts to three. Both of them were stretching it to be 15 hands. Hard Spun was ND/Danzig clone; Big Brown is nothing like them in conformation and his physical problem is nothing like theirs.

[Cajungator26]

Originally Posted by Pedigree Ann

Northern Dancer didn't have a problem with quarter cracks, as I recall. Ran 9 times at 2, 9 times at 3 before he bowed a tendon after the Queen's Plate, to the best of my recollection. Danzig had a tricky knee that limited his starts to three. Both of them were stretching it to be 15 hands. Hard Spun was ND/Danzig clone; Big Brown is nothing like them in conformation and his physical problem is nothing like theirs.

Yes, he did. He suffered from quarter cracks in his left front, but they raced him with a rubber patch.

Originally Posted by Pedigree Ann

Buckpasser had a problem with quarter cracks - he missed the entire Triple Crown while his hoof grew out after having one - but he still managed to win 25 of 31 races over 3 seasons of racing, from 2 to 4.

I copied this from a vet report:

"Quarter cracks are a common cause of foot lameness and/or decreased athletic performance in race and sport horses. They typically originate at the coronary band and continue distally. They are full thickness, extending into the dermis of the hoof, which leads to instability, inflammation and/or infection. Quarter cracks are painful due to infection and/or the result of instability caused by movement of the hoof wall posterior to the crack. The vertical movement of the heel bulb on the affected side further complicates this instability. Causes of quarter cracks may include trauma to the coronary band; preexisting damage to the corium from infection; abnormal hoof conformation - especially the long toe underrun heel; focal foot imbalances; short shoes; or an abnormal landing pattern when the foot strikes the ground."

I see both genetic and environmental factors mentioned as possible causes.

Yes it does.
When feet are so closely looked
after like BB's and then the quarter
cracks are gone. Problem solved.
The hoof continues
out, they run him some more, and there
they are again...

That just seems like something to stay
away from. Honestly this horse had to
have been given some of the best foot
care of all time. It indicates a deep problem
imo.

The breeders just supply the market though.

I think I was two when Northern Dancer ran.
This is what I read. But thats really far back.
Boundary given by Z and Mr. Simon would
obviously be a better (closer) example.

Just relaying what vets have said
around horses with quarter cracks.
I ask a lot of questions. One in particular
from Texas ATM was of the opinion that
they are natural fault lines in some horses
revealed by pounding.
Conformation issues would exacerbate pounding.

If it were clear cut we would not be
discussing.

Feet. Feet. Feet.
Thats was a very prevalent
topic.

[johnny pinwheel]

its for real. they are saying he could still run. of course it will be patched up or a bar shoe. you really think he wants to scratch him? everyone thinks dutrow is a blow hard. but theres a reason he does not want to run this horse every few weeks. why do people act surprised about this. everyone knew he might not make it going in to the TC!

[Pedigree Ann]

Originally Posted by Cajungator26

Yes, he did. He suffered from quarter cracks in his left front, but they raced him with a rubber patch.

Considering how much he ran in his career (15 times before the Preakness) they couldn't have been the more severe sort. Maybe because he was littler (less weight) the damage was less and the patch was sufficient.

I am on a crusade to revive respect for the little horse (under 16 hands). Hyperion was little, Northern Dancer was little, Round Table was little (Shoemaker on his back looked a normal-sized jockey!), Tom Rolfe, Arts and Letters,... In the two great 3yo rivalries of my lifetime - Affirmed/Alydar and Easy Goer/Sunday Silence - the smaller horse came out on top. Give me a neat, balanced 15.3 horse over one of these bulky 17-handers without the ankles to hold them up, anytime.

[Cajungator26]

Originally Posted by Pedigree Ann

Considering how much he ran in his career (15 times before the Preakness) they couldn't have been the more severe sort. Maybe because he was littler (less weight) the damage was less and the patch was sufficient.

I am on a crusade to revive respect for the little horse (under 16 hands). Hyperion was little, Northern Dancer was little, Round Table was little (Shoemaker on his back looked a normal-sized jockey!), Tom Rolfe, Arts and Letters,... In the two great 3yo rivalries of my lifetime - Affirmed/Alydar and Easy Goer/Sunday Silence - the smaller horse came out on top. Give me a neat, balanced 15.3 horse over one of these bulky 17-handers without the ankles to hold them up, anytime.

I'll take 15.3 hands any day of the week, but I would consider that more an average size than anything else. Maybe 16.1 or 16.2 is more the norm nowadays. Wasn't Northern Dancer like 14.3 or something like that? He was definitely a little guy.

[Cannon Shell]

"Big Brown, who will be seeking the coveted Triple Crown in the June 7 Belmont Stakes (gr. I), has a "slight" quarter crack on the inside of his left front foot, trainer Rick Dutrow said May 25."

from bloodhorse

[Pedigree Ann]

Originally Posted by Cajungator26

I'll take 15.3 hands any day of the week, but I would consider that more an average size than anything else. Maybe 16.1 or 16.2 is more the norm nowadays. Wasn't Northern Dancer like 14.3 or something like that? He was definitely a little guy.

Oh, yeah, 15.3 would have been average for a long time. I think many folks would be surprised at how "small" some of the great heros of the past actually were, like Count Fleet, Seabiscuit, Citation, War Admiral, Bold Ruler, etc. were. I have stallion registers from the late 1960s and early 1970s wherein stallions were listed at 15.1, 15.2, 15.3, although some of the 15.0s may have been stretched a bit ( 14.3 sounded too pony-like). Nowadays if you can't say 16h (on tip-toes), you don't list a height. The fashion for big horses has gotten out of control.

[ShadowRoll]

http://tcm.bloodhorse.com/article/45398.htm

[pweizer]

Is there really such a thing as a slight quarter crack? Isn't any quarter crack serious?

Paul

[zippyneedsawin]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

I first heard about this last night but simply didn't know if it was true so i didn't post.

First of all a quarter crack can be a real issue or it can be a minor issue depending on it's location, including which foot and the severity of the crack.
The toughest thing right now is how much training he has to miss as opposed to the actual injury. Again depending on where it is located you can train in a bar shoe and do just fine. A lot of times the biggest problem is an abcess developing underneath where the patch is located. Proper drainage of the area is critical and sometimes that takes some time, sometimes not.

Secondly, the horse's "value" to IEAH is set already. It can not go up or down because they have already have sold the breeding rights. I dont understand why people dont seem to get that. His stud fee is also pretty much set because it is based more on the exposure the farm has as opposed to what the horse does on the track from now on. If he were to win the Belmont, travers, and BC Classic they may be able to get a little more but if he gets beat in the Belmont they will still be looking for 100k. There may be a clause that the farm pays less if the horse gets beat but there may also be a clause that says the farm pays less if the horse doesnt compete in the Belmont as well.

Missing some training probably isn't that big of a deal for this horse at this point though, is it?

[ManilaRose]

Originally Posted by pweizer

Is there really such a thing as a slight quarter crack? Isn't any quarter crack serious?

Paul

Chuck talked a bit about that earlier in the thread. I don't think you're going to hear anything but best case scenarios from Dutrow at this point anyway. I'll be anxious to see when the horse actually gets back to the track and see what Dutrow has to say in about a week.

Originally Posted by ManilaRose

Chuck talked a bit about that earlier in the thread. I don't think you're going to hear anything but best case scenarios from Dutrow at this point anyway. I'll be anxious to see when the horse actually gets back to the track and see what Dutrow has to say in about a week.

Dutrow already indicated the problem was
solved after the Derby, or maybe that was
before the Derby.

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by zippyneedsawin

Missing some training probably isn't that big of a deal for this horse at this point though, is it?

Not as big of deal because he just ran twice but not exactly ideal. It may be an easy thing to take care of and wind up being a non issue.

[Pedigree Ann]

Majestic Prince, the first good son of Raise a Native, had been a top-priced Keeneland July yearling ($250K - oooh) and a big, strapping chestnut (although he was probably no bigger than 16.1 - this is speaking relativistically). He started later in his 2yo at the late lamented Bay Meadows, came into the Kentucky Derby as the unbeaten West Coast champion. Won it, beating the Blue Grass winner Arts and Letters by 3/4 or thereabouts. Won the Preakness, too.

Coming up for the Belmont, scuttlebutt had it that trainer John Longden (who had ridden Count Fleet back in the day) didn't want to run him. Nothing specific mentioned, mind you; something just not quite right. But Frank McMahon, the owner, wanted to try for the Triple Crown so Majestic Prince ran; he ran honorably, finishing second to Arts and Letters (who had tuned up by beating his elders in the Met Mile). Arts and Letters went on to win the Travers and the Woodward and the JC Gold Cup and become Horse of the Year; Majestic Prince never ran again.

Moral of the story: if your horse ain't right, don't run him, Triple Crown or not. The question now becomes - will Big Brown be right by raceday?