Brown Wins Big in Florida Derby Romp

IEAH Stables et al's BIG BROWN (Boundary) came into the Florida Derby (G1) inexperienced and untested from two career outings, but left as one of the favorites for the Kentucky Derby (G1) after posting a superb, five-length tour-de-force at Gulfstream Park on Saturday. Breaking well from post 12 under Kent Desormeaux, the ultra-talented three-year-old quickly made his way across the field and to the lead, establishing quick swift splits of :22 3/5 and :45 4/5 for the opening half-mile. The long-striding chestnut continued to gallop along through fast splits and ran his nearest rivals into the ground by the time he neared the final turn, as he began to make separation from the field.

By the time Big Brown hit the top of the lane, he was well clear in getting one-mile in 1:35 while under little urging, and it was obvious that the colt was on his way to a special performance. The colt finished off 1 1/8 miles in a sharp 1:48 and rewarded his backers with mutuels of $5, $3.80 and $3.20 as the 3-2 favorite for Richard Dutrow.

"My plan was not to get on the lead, but rather to get close enough to the rail so as not to get caught wide," Desormeaux said. "Riding him was like bounding through a meadow. He just galloped around. When a horse sets fractions like that and still tells me that he's got more, and that the other horses can't get to him, that's something special."

Smooth Air (Smooth Jazz) was in midpack early while saving ground, came out into the stretch and was a clear second in an excellent runner-up performance. The 16-1 shot paid $12.60 and $7.60, and completed the $68.80 exacta while 7 1/2 lengths clear of third. Peruvian invader Tomcito (Street Cry [Ire]) made a sustained late run to gain the show in his U.S. debut at 12-1, finishing off the $702.80 trifecta while paying $6.20 in the process. Hey Byrn (Put it Back) was third in early stretch but was one-paced late, capping the $5,822.80 superfecta (12-2-4-9) at 10-1.

Cool Gator (Macho Uno) was next and followed by Majestic Warrior (A.P. Indy), Nistle's Crunch (Van Nistlerooy), Face the Cat (Tale of the Cat), Da' Tara (Tiznow), Fierce Wind (Dixie Union), 5-2 second choice Elysium Fields (El Prado [Ire]), who had trouble early, and B B Frank (Came Home).

"He came out of the gate like we wanted him to," Dutrow said. "I loved being on the outside. It eliminated our chance of getting in trouble. Going into the race, the only way we could get beat was if we got in trouble. In the first turn I knew it was over."

Big Brown debuted at Saratoga in August and dominated turf maidens by an impressive 11 1/4 lengths for conditioner Patrick Reynolds. The Kentucky-bred was then privately purchased and had to overcome some nagging injuries, but returned earlier this month in an allowance race, drawing off by 12 3/4 facile lengths in his first try for Dutrow. He now boasts $662,700 in earnings.

"We've got a Kentucky Derby contender," Dutrow explained. "It's a long way off, and a lot of things have to happen right, but I expected him to run just like we saw. This day ranks on top of my career."

Bred by Monticule, the winner brought the gavel down at $190,000 at the 2007 Keeneland April Two-Year-Olds in Training sale. He is out of the winning Mien (Nureyev) and counts the two-year-old filly My Chestnut Girl (Horse Chestnut [SAf]) and an unnamed yearling filly by Touch Gold as half-siblings. This is the same female family as 1997 champion older mare Hidden Lake (Quiet American), who captured that year's Hempstead H. (G1), Go For Wand S. (G1), Shuvee H. (G2) and La Brea S. (G2).