Will You Be Cheering for Big Brown?

Horse racing analysts (how's that for a job title?) tell us that the long stretch of Triple Crown-less horse racing seasons will end today. Big Brown, despite a hoof injury, is likely to cross the  Belmont Stakes finish line at least a length ahead of its closest competitor. His closest competition, Casino Drive, has just been pulled from the race.

The triple crown races aren't just a gambler's heyday. USA Today did a poll in 2004 ranking the ten hardest things to do in sports. Winning the triple crown ranked No. 1. (For my fellow figure skating fans, landing a quad came in at No. 6.) With a win today, Big Brown should become the world's top athlete today. I understand he's already signed with an agent.
 
I'll be the first to admit that I'm not a big horse racing fan. My mom, though, has always loved horses and watching these three races were a standard at my home. Just as my dad planned his weekends around SEC football, my mom emptied her calendar three summer Saturdays to make sure we would be home to watch the race. Usually, it just worked out to be the two of us watching.

In 1978, we watched the legendary Affirmed and Alydar battle through the summer. Affirmed emerged victorious. We were happy. Affirmed's jockey was young Steve Cauthen. Cauthen rode the horse to racing's highest crown when he was still a teenager. These races were so exciting and the horses so strong and athletic. Either one could have taken it. Affirmed and Alydar continued their battles for two more years before being placed out to stud. For Big Brown, today will likely be his last race. Horses today are bred for those two or three minutes of speed. Horses no longer have the natural make-up that allowed for long career races. Owners and trainers want to make the name, and then make the money. Do I blame them? Of course not. Anyone knows how expensive anything to do with these great and majestic animals.

Somee interesting trivia regarding today's race. Big Brown's jockey Kent Desormeaux has came closer than anyone else in 29 years to win a triple crown. Riding Smarty Jones in 1998, he won the first two races only to lose the third race by a nose. You can bet he doesn't want to have that happen again.

I have mixed feelings about a tripple crown victory today. I know Big Brown is undefeated, but it seems like a shame to have the reigning triple crown legends dethrowned by a horse facing little or no competition. How would Big Brown have ran against Affirmed or Alydar? How would he had donw with a great horse chasing him every second?

Just in case you're curious, Affirmed died of natural causes earlier this decade. Alydar met a crueler fate. His owner was convicted of killing the horse for insurance money about 15 years ago.

The Belmont Stakes airs at 5:30 p.m. EST on ABC.