Big Brown doesn't disappoint at Monmouth
BY DOUG McKENZIE Correspondent
This time, Big Brown delivered. In his first race since a disastrous performance at the Belmont Stakes, the Kentucky Derby and Preakness-winning Big Brown used a late charge to catch upsetminded Coal Play in the final furlong to win the $1 million Haskell Invitational presented by Vonage (G1) by nearly two lengths on Sunday at Monmouth Park.

PHOTOS BY CHRIS KELLY staff Above: Jockey Kent Desormeaux and Big Brown after winning the 2008 $1 million Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park Racetrack in Oceanport on Aug. 3. Below: Some of the 45,000-plus fans at Monmouth Park on hand to watch the day's 14 races.

Despite going off as the 1-5 favorite, Big Brown's performance still wowed a crowd of 45,132 fans, as jockey Kent Desormeaux guided him to his fourth Grade I victory of the year by driving him from the quarter-pole to the wire.

"He found a new gear and just kept sticking his neck out," 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.

"Big Brown is the best horse I've ever ridden," added Desormeaux, who passed the 5,000 mark in career wins last week and has been aboard in all of Big Brown's races this year.

"Today he showed he's a warrior. He's always won his other races with such ease. Today he showed what courage he had. Grade 1s, they don't give them away, and Big Brown earned it today."

After his puzzling race in the Belmont, when he was pulled up and did not finish, there were some questions as to whether Big Brown was ready to continue with his racing career. Without question, his Haskell performance delighted and relieved trainer Rick Dutrow Jr. and owners of International Equine Acquisitions Holding Inc. (IEAH).

"He showed up today," Dutrow said of Big Brown. "That other horse ran a huge, huge race. The last eighth, he got himself together and showed us what he's made of."

Big Brown chased Coal Play, a 20-1 long shot ridden by local favorite Joe Bravo, all around the oval, asserted himself the final furlong while drifting wide and crossing the wire a length and threequarters in front of his rival. Cool Coal Man, like Coal Play trained by Nick Zito, finished third, 4¼ lengths farther back.

Alaazo, longest shot on the board at 33- 1, finished fourth, followed by Nistle's Crunch, Atoned and Magical Forest.

Big Brown finished the nine furlongs in 1:48 1/5 and paid $2.40, $2.10 and $2.10 as the overwhelming choice. Coal Play, off at 20-1, completed the $25.20 exacta and paid $8 to place and $4.20 to show. Cool Coal Man, the 6-1 second choice, returned $2.80 to show.

Coal Play broke from the gate like a shot under Bravo and assumed command from the gate. Big Brown found himself trapped on the rail the first turn, first by Coal Play and then by Atoned.

However, the bay colt by Boundary was able to swing out entering the bend, and raced behind and outside Coal Play the entire length of the backstretch. Coal Play began to get away from Big Brown rounding the turn, causing Desormeaux to put his horse into a drive to give chase.

Coal Play surged ahead for a furlong, but in the final eighth of a mile, Big Brown asserted himself while racing in the center of the track and drew clear the last 16th.

"I thought we were in trouble at the quarter-pole," said Michael Iavarone, copresident and co-CEO of the IEAH syndicate. "Nick Zito's horse ran so big. He kicked away from us and I thought we were in trouble. This was another dimension for Big Brown — he showed his heart and courage."

Zito, who upset the Belmont with Da' Tara and looked like he would spring another surprise today, was happy with his two-three finish.

"I thought we had a helluva shot turning for home," Zito said. "I thought to myself,

'We could do this again.' I'm very happy right now. We made him [Big Brown] run, that's for sure. But this is good for racing. Coal Play ran a big race."

Following the race, Bravo praised Big Brown's ability to overcome adversity.

"It was a great performance by him because you know he had to come back from a big defeat his last time out. So I give them all the credit and give the horse all the credit."

Bravo, a Long Branch native who was hoping to win just his second Haskell Invitational (his lone win came aboard Lion Heart in 2004), admitted to being a bit frustrated following the race.

"It just stinks to get beat like that," he said. "It's just a heartbreaker when everything goes the right way, everything goes good, and then to get beat. We were able to get out early, the fractions were good. I thought he [Coal Play] ran a great race."

The $600,000 winner's share of the Haskell's $1 million purse raised Big Brown's career earnings to $3,314,500.

The Haskell drew record wagering of $4,257,409, pacing Monmouth to a singleday record total handle of $17,642,954, an all-time record for New Jersey parimutuels. The betting totals easily surpassed last year's records of $3,734,404 bet on the Haskell and $14,122,636 bet on the 14-race card.

"Everything was perfect," said Dennis Dowd, senior vice president of racing for the New Jersey Sports & Exposition Authority. "Not only did we get to see another great Haskell, but finally the weather was on our side. The racing office did a great job putting together 14 terrific races, and the handle certainly reflected that. The Haskell capped off a great weekend of racing for the state of New Jersey."