If Big Brown posts another big bust, will he be forced to retire?

Much of the attention at tomorrow’s $1 Million Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park will be on Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner Big Brown, who makes his return to the race track after his embarrassing loss at the 2008 Belmont Stakes. The 1-2 morning line favorite, Big Brown (at least on paper) appears to be the easy pick. But ask anyone who witnessed jockey Kent Desmoreaux pull the horse back at the Belmont knows that anything can happen.

“It is a make-or-break race for sure - how can it not be?” said owner Michael Iavarone. “He just got pulled up at 1-5; if that happens again, then something is wrong with the horse, and where are you going from there?”

Desmoreaux will once again be riding Big Brown, this time from post position 4. On the inside rail is Magical Forest and to the outside is Coal Play in post 6. Trainer Rick Dutrow expects Big Brown to take and hold the lead.

“It would depend how he breaks, how they break,” Dutrow said earlier in the week. “He’s won on the lead; he’s won from off the pace. If our horse breaks good I’m sure he’ll be forwardly placed. Naturally, if he breaks bad then he’s going to have to work out a trip. It should be simple enough as long as the horse runs his race.”

Not one to put his foot in his mouth a second time, Dutrow is not guaranteeing a win when the gate swings open tomorrow at 6:14 PM EST.

“If he goes out there and runs his race, he’ll win,” Dutrow said. “If he doesn’t, he’ll get beat.”

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