Sports Betting Articles
Big Brown Wins the Kentucky Derby
By Audrey Nolan
Big Brown won the 134th Kentucky Derby; unfortunately there was a sad shadow due to the tragedy of Eight Belles. Big Brown was running fiercely after taking the lead over 19 other horses achieving an unforgettable victory on Saturday afternoon.
The happiness last at least 20 seconds after everybody realized that the tragedy has taken place. The gallant filly, Eight Belles, who chased Big Brown under the wire galloped out around the turn then in an instant slammed the ground, her front ankles shattered and her life was over.
"The injuries were catastrophic," said Dr Larry Bramlage, the track's "on call" veterinarian. "She didn't have a front foot to stand on. She was immediately euthanized. I have never seen anything like this before at the end of a race."
So, for the second time in two years, the sweet, magical appeal of racing was blown apart. Eight Belles' horrendous end triggered all the sad and bitter memories of Barbaro's breakdown in the Preakness at Pimlico, just two weeks after he had won the Kentucky Derby by six widening lengths, his long struggle to survive and then his end.
There was nothing else to say, Eight Belles run a beautiful race thanks to her 20 year-old jockey Gabriel Saez when he took her to the gate and she was ready to go. Her wishes were the same as the winner, Big Brown, but at the end the colt won. But in a matter of seconds everything it was all over. Only 24 hours earlier, Larry Jones, the cowboy had won the Kentucky Oaks with Proud Spell, and with Eight Belles was shooting for a unique double - to win the Oaks and the Derby in the same year with a filly.
Big Brown was excellent on the race. After he was dusted off by experts by being in the 20th position, the fans didn’t lost faith, he opened the day at 7-2, they hit him to 3-1, then to 5-2 and finally his starting price: 2-1.
Big Brown came out of the starting gate went four wide around the clubhouse turn, losing quite a bit of ground, then settled in about fifth and sixth behind the pacesetters, Bob Black Jack, Cowboy Cal, Recapturetheglory. Going into the far turn, Desormeaux said, "Let's go," and Big Brown picked up his stride and ran past horses as if they were hogtied to the rail. He burst to the lead at the head of the stretch and ran away from them. The jockey didn't even raise the whip.
"I had a beautiful, uneventful trip," Desormeaux said later. It was the jockey's third Derby win, a nice trophy to remind him of his big turnaround from a top jockey, to a so-so journeyman to back to the top again. Next stop for the jockey and Big Brown will be at Pimlico in two weeks for the Preakness Stakes.
About the author
Audrey Nolan is a high-ranking writer on sports for the online betting industry. Feel free to reprint this article in its whole on your site, make sure to leave all links in place and do not modify any of the content
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