Big Brown Looms A True Triple Crown Threat
Steve James For The ThoroughbredZone
May 22, 2025
In just a couple of weeks, Big Brown will attempt to become the 12th horse in history to capture the elusive Triple Crown when he enters the starting gate in the Belmont Stakes. He breezed through the Kentucky Derby with a strong performance, despite a wide trip throughout. He won the Preakness Stakes with ease, the kind of ease not usually seen in a Triple Crown race. He won in a hand ride. Now the question looms. The mile and a half Test of a Champion is the last obstacle in his quest to enter the ranks of horseracing immortality. Can he do it? Will he do it?
Several horses over the past few years have entered the Belmont Stakes in the same position, a chance to be in class by themselves with a victory. A Triple Crown Champion, but those aspirations, hopes and dreams were ruined by brutal disappointments. In 1998, Real Quiet trained by Bob Baffert entered the Belmont stretch with what looked to be an insurmountable lead. He opened up and drew clear. The crowd at Belmont Park was witnessing history before their very eyes, but before history could be made, Victory Gallop had a say as to whether a history a making moment would actually occur that day hot sunny June day. Victory Gallop launched a long grinding sustained rally in his attempt to reel in Real Quiet as he approached the finish line. The Belmont Park crowd was in a frenzy as the two closed in on the wire. Real Quiet wobbly from his hard spring campaign desperately tried to fend off his rival who had closed on him in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes. It was a heart pounding, gut wrenching finish, a frenetic battle to the wire, Real Quiet trying to stave off his nemesis Victory Gallop’s final last ditch bid. It was a nose difference, but no Triple Crown. Victory Gallop had won denying Real Quiet of a Belmont Stakes victory by the slimmest of margins. It was that close, but the history making moment was denied.
Just one year later once again a horse entered the Belmont Stakes with a chance to join racing immortality. Charismatic, trained by D Wayne Lukas was the surprise horse of the spring stunning the Kentucky Derby with his upset win, and then backed it up by winning the Preakness Stakes two weeks later. He looked like a solid fit to capture the Triple Crown. He raced up into contention early and took the lead briefly as they turned for home, but he could not get to the wire first. He faltered in the stretch and was pulled up after as he passed the wire. We all remember the scene after the race as the late Chris Antley held the fractured leg of Charismatic and very well may have been responsible for saving his life. Lemon Drop Kid was the long shot winner of The Belmont Stakes that day. Again, the Belmont crowd left disappointed and saddened. Charismatic did not win the Triple Crown, his career as a racehorse ended with a broken leg. Everyone would have to wait for next year to see if a horse would be good enough to win all three.
Two years later in 2001 the speedy front running War Emblem owned by a Saudi prince and trained by the silver haired Kentucky Derby hot shot Bob Baffert came to Belmont Park with hopes of becoming the 12th Triple Crown winner. This was Bob Bafferts 3rd chance to win all three legs. Silver Charm and Real Quiet were the other two. War Emblem was a stretch to win that day as he barley stayed on to win the Preakness Stakes. His chances of victory that day were all but destroyed as he stumbled right out of the starting gate. His jockey Victor Espinoza rushed him into contention. War Emblem was right there as they approached the top of the bend. The crowd let out a roar, for a brief, fleeting moment it looked as if War Emblem would somehow overcome it all and do it, but he did not. He was a spent; tired horse as he weakened in the stretch finishing far behind the longest shot in Belmont Stakes history to win The Test of a Champion Sarava. A Triple Crown winner would not emerge that hot day in June. It was a disappointment for many die-hard and casual racing fans a like. However not all were that disappointed by his failure.
Just one year later, it happened again, another horse flirted with history. New York’s very own Funny Cide captured the imagination of the racing world in 2003. Owned by a rag tag group from up state New York who showed up at the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes in a yellow school bus, and trained by the stoic Barclay Tagg, he upset the Kentucky Derby favorite Empire Maker. He then won the Preakness Stakes in convincing fashion. A New York bred was on the verge of becoming the 12th horse in history to win the Triple Crown, but there was one huge obstacle in his way. It was Empire Maker trained by the ever-confident Bobby Frankel. Another huge crowd packed Belmont Park, including me in a driving wind swept rain that continued throughout the day. Frankel passed the Preakness with his star and waited for the Belmont with a fresh rejuvenated Empire Maker.
The anticipation built throughout the day just as it had in the previous years with Real Quiet, Charismatic and War Emblem. Funny Cide left the gate and went to the lead pulling Jose Santos right from the very start over the sloppy Belmont surface. He never had a chance as he refused to settle and continued to tug on the bit and run on as if he was trying to escape an inferno. There was no inferno, but there was the ever relaxed and poised Empire Maker, with the confident Jerry Bailey aboard. Empire Maker easily hooked Funny Cide when asked to do so by Bailey and went by with ease, and fended of a late bid by Ten Most Wanted to win the Belmont Stakes. The way Bobby Frankel had planned it. No Triple Crown, again. Disappointment lingered as thousands upon thousands left water logged Belmont Park, not to mention the millions of television viewers, many wondering if there would ever be a horse good enough to win the Triple Crown in their lifetime.
Smarty Jones exploded on the scene just one year later with a flawless resume, the feel good story of the year that captivated a nation. For the 5 th time in 7 years, another horse had a chance to win the Triple Crown. The undefeated colt stormed past Lion Heart in the Kentucky Derby splashing home to victory over a sloppy track. His Preakness was even more awe inspiring as he drove passed the wire with relative ease crushing his foes. History looked to be all but assured, as the horse with the best chance of those that had recently failed in their bid to win the Triple Crown. The speedball colt from Philadelphia Park was the real deal, his date with destiny was certain. I felt confidant on that chilly, breezy, overcast day as I walked into Belmont Park, but there was an eerie feeling of uneasiness from the moment I woke up. John Servis had stated he was concerned that the rest of the field in the Belmont Stakes would not make it easy for him to capture the carnations and the crown. It turned out to be a self-fulfilling prophecy, as he fears became reality. From the moment, the gates opened Smarty Jones found himself in a dogfight with several competitors along Belmont’s backstretch. The uneasy and geared up Smarty Jones was up to the challenge, as he turned back one foe after another in his bid for greatness. The problem was Smarty Jones was racing from the moment the gates opened, and he never relaxed and settled, the way he had in his previous races. He was on the bit, fighting the fight he was dragged into. Moreover, he was winning it. As he entered the stretch to the roar of 103,000 plus fans, the largest crowd in New York sports history screaming and imploring him on, his stride began to shorten, as the crowd grew louder he gamely fought on with what he had left, which was not much anymore. Through my binoculars, I could see an image a few lengths behind him. I did not know who or what it was. As Smarty Jones approached the 8th pole, the other horse continued to make his bid to crush the hopes of another Triple Crown chance. I looked to my right to see where the finish line was. It might as well been in another country. That was the worst feeling I ever had at any sporting event or horse race. It was personal. The realization that a horse I knew would be great the first day I saw him glide over the Philadelphia Park oval. I turned and told the people I was with, it is not going to happen. He will not make it. He missed by a length and the crowd that was just roaring for him, turned into a hollow, vacuum of quietness. Who won? That question abounded for minutes after the race. It was Birdstone. Another Triple Crown bid crushed like a corn flake. And it was hard to swallow. It was a bitter disappointment. Leaving Belmont that day was a tough pill to swallow, and realizing later it was his last race. It was not to be. No Triple Crown, again.
Point Given and Afleet Alex also won two thirds of the crown, winning the Preakness and Belmont Stakes. Their derailment of the Triple Crown was losing The Kentucky Derby. For various reasons not one of these horses was capable of doing it. Fatigue, trips, and class were factors as to why they came up short. Were they worthy of a becoming Triple Crown Champions? I will leave that to the pundits. History will judge them as superb races horses, but not Triple Crown Champions
And here we go again. One more time, on June 7th it will be Big Browns chance to step up to the plate and knock it out of the park, Belmont Park that is. The runaway winner of the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes will try to become the 12th Triple Crown winner. The anticipation is high. Can he do it? That is the question being asked by everyone. Of the horses just mentioned, I felt the best about Smarty Jones chances before the Belmont Stakes, but fatigue was a concern. Up until now, Big Brown has done it, and he has done it with ease. The rare combination of speed, stamina, and confident headiness are all melded into the body of this colt. He has crushed every horse that has stepped on the track with him.
The challengers are lining up at a chance to stop him. The Japanese import Casino Drive looks to be his first true opponent who might be capable of mounting the upset bid, but that horse will not only have to bring his A game, but also must hope Big Brown takes a turn backwards. In addition, Big Brown has not given one indicator that it will happen. He looks as fresh now as he did before the Florida Derby. Big Brown is poised to make history. The connections are as confident as they have ever been. The countdown is on and its all systems go. Big Brown is ready for his place in history books as the 12th winner of the Triple Crown. It is a done deal.
Or is it? Is it that simple, like it was for Smarty Jones? Just show up and get crowned in a walkover. There is nothing simple about the Belmont Stakes. Big Brown still has a few obstacles in his way, the ever-lingering foot problem that requires special glue on shoes. Casino Drive a fresh, prepared horse geared up for a big effort. And the X factor, the weather could come into play. Big Brown has shown he can win on an off track, so if it does come up sloppy, from what we have seen, he should be able to handle it. And the most important factor of them all, will Big Brown come into this race like he came into the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, a calm, relaxed horse that was unmoved by his surroundings. Will he be a calm, settled racehorse ready to roll just as he had in his previous races? One of the contributing factors some of the others have failed before him to win the grueling Belmont Stakes. Smarty Jones and Funny Cide were nervous wrecks the day of the race, costing them valuable energy that they needed. History will view Funny Cide as a nice horse, but not a worthy winner of a Triple Crown. Smarty Jones will be remembered for his raw speed and determination, one of the better horses to fail. To win the Triple Crown, not only must the horse have the class, but also has to have the proper demeanor the day of the race. It all has to come together.
Big Brown has already separated himself from the other three year olds, and he is more then ready to achieve greatness. And not only win, but also win in an explosive way, ready to draw clear and win by open lengths to join the racing immortals. He is ready to stamp himself a Triple Crown champion. A moment racing has not seen in 30 years. Oh so close we have come to seeing it happen over the past 10 years only to be crushed by disappointment.
It is in Big Browns hands now and the hands of the racing gods if you are willing to go there. There is an empty page in the history book waiting for him, and the scribes are warming up to write it. History will be made in two weeks, or so we think as we have before, but this time it is a special horse that will accept that challenge and prove he is the goods, luck and mediocrity do not win Triple Crowns. No matter the quality of horses he defeated, it takes a true champion to do this. And a champion waits to be crowned in Big Brown.
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