Big Brown is famous for winning both the 2008 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes. Unfortunately in his bid for the Triple Crown, he came up short, very short, during the Belmont Stakes. After running in third for the majority of the race, he was eased just before the home stretch. Just after leaving the gate, he was stepped on and pulled a shoe loose. With each step the nails in the shoe punctured back into his hoof, causing the discomfort his jockey felt on the backstretch. When Big Brown should have been asking for more rein, he was pleading to back down. His jockey knew this was not the horse he rode in the Derby or Preakness, and this was not the horse that was going to win the Belmont. A quarter crack could have also been the cause of Big Brown’s inability to perform, preventing him from being at peak soundness. After this heartbreaking defeat, he returned to win two more races, but before attempting to run in the Breeder’s Cup, he tore the bulbs off his foot. His multiple hoof problems have led him into retirement. His use of steroids remains a controversial issue that forces people to question the true success and injuries of this horse.
Big Brown is a powerful looking horse, with a deep heart-girth and strong rear end. His croup is higher than his withers, shifting his weight onto his front legs. All of his legs look straight, and his knees and hocks are level. It is not possible to determine if his hoof problems are related to a conformational fault without using x-rays or magnetic resonance imaging.
Big Brown is a powerful looking horse, with a deep heart-girth and strong rear end. His croup is higher than his withers, shifting his weight onto his front legs. All of his legs look straight, and his knees and hocks are level. It is not possible to determine if his hoof problems are related to a conformational fault without using x-rays or magnetic resonance imaging.