Big Brown has Quarter Crack

[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

[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

[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.

[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?