Horse Betting Odds

Big Brown Redeems Himself At The Haskell - August 11th, 2008

By Jordan Walters
WagerWeb.com Contributing Writer

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We all felt our hearts drop when Big Brown failed to show up for the Belmont Stakes on June 7, but he made his triumphant return last week in the $1M Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park. He paid $2.40, $2.10, and $2.10 as the overwhelming choice. He finished nine furlongs in 1:48 1/5, winning by about a length and a half in the final stages of the race. It was his fourth Grade 1 stakes win of the year, and his sixth win in seven career starts.

He got out of the gate in the lead, but quickly relinquished it to Coal Play before the first turn. He ran in second place for the rest of the race and it looked like Coal Play had opened up a big enough lead to hold on for the victory. But Big Brown finally responded to Kent Desormeaux’s whip in the final furlong to overtake the stubborn 20/1 leader. Coal Play paid the $25.20 exacta and $8 to place and $4.20 to show. In third place was Cool Coal Man, the 6-1 second choice, returning $2.80 to show.

“He found a new gear and just kept sticking his neck out,” winning jockey Kent Desormeaux said. “I knew he was going to get there. At the top of the stretch that horse (Coal Play) took off, but Big Brown took off after him. He just kept coming, and I knew we’d get him.”

“He showed up today,” said trainer Rick Dutrow. “That other horse ran a huge, huge race. The last eighth, he got himself together and showed us what he’s made of.”