Yea, Kent D. looked very tired after the race and not sure he can handle the Derby distance. After the interview I swear he was limping as he walked away.

Spyder

It bothers me too, but I can't remember seeing a racehorse (especially one that ran lights out like him) NOT blow hard afterwards.

More interesting would be the post race breathing patterns of Dutrow. He keeps winning like this he will be borrowing suits from Hank Goldberg

I just watched the replay (again - free on Bloodhorse TCM page, guys) - he didn't weave at all.

He came off the turn 3 wide - and he drove down the center of the track. He came out about 1 path more to a left whip, then the jock took him down to the rail, where he stayed.

Smooth Air is still impressive. More so. Bloodhorse says both are definitely in the Derby. Feet allegedly fine on Big Brown.

It was harrowed (I can tell from the video) - do you know if it was watered?

Good lord .....

Has he (RD) gotten considerably larger in the past few years??? .....perhaps an overexposure to steroids??

Yeah, it would be tough to remove the sweaty pit stains from Hank's suits.

You missed the thread.
Dutrow had some other horses mentioned
by some other posters that looked very good winning
implying that this was per usual... that they could run
all day.

I have seen plenty of horses coming home looking like drunken
sailors and not breathing like that. did you watch the interview
while the horse had to sit there? He needed to move. but most
of the animals I have seen up close, are not what we would call
superior runners. And I have seen interview done live on the horses
with the jock where the horses looked like they could do it all again.

Big brown did not look like he was ready for another ala Ernie Banks.

Yeah, I watched the video... he was blowing hard like most horses do after they run lights out. Did he need to be walked out and cooled down? I think the answer to that should be an obvious YES.

bad being latin for slow.

i always roll my eyes a bit at the 'he wouldn't blow out a match' line after a hard race.

I have seen horses run lights at longer distances
that walk around proudly shaking the head still galloping.
Thats all I am saying. He obviously ran very hard. The winning
bravado that some horses display after blowing a field away
was not there. So it was not an effortless
journey by a vastly superior horse. Thats what I mean.
He won by open lengths, he was not chased down.
So it is important to me that it was not a piece of
cake effort for him even though he decimated the field.

Had Big Brown galloped out fully shaking his head asking
for more I would have been totally amazed.

When I saw those fractions coming up I was certain
he was dead meat. I was so wrong.

I agree Pgardn.. I bet against the horse and after he took the first half in 45 and change, I thought he would fold like a cheap tent..... While i haven't decided if I would play him in the derby, I do think it was one of the best preps this year and I can't wait to see how he trains up to the derby.

I'm surprised that nobody has mentioned Big Brown's behavior after the race. He was a little aggressive.

I have two words for you guys - Bellamy Road.

I have been around long enough that I try to resist getting too overcome with enthusiasm about a horse based on one superior race. (Remember Daaher?) Good race on a track that didn't seem kind to closers. Too bad he will be given time off to lose condition rather than another race to bring him on before the Derby.