Saturday was stunning. Sunday was silent. Monday,  with no clear answer in sight as to why Big Brown didn’t dominate the Belmont Stakes, speculation turned wild and statements turned ugly. Jockey Kent Desormeaux said it was likely a slow start out of the gate that doomed Big Brown, among other things — perhaps the most palatable and practical explanation. But he also said trainer Rick Dutrow wasn’t blaming the ride. Ruh-roh. Dutrow did exactly that. Others grasping for answers as to how a horse that looked so dominant could look so bad have theories about steroids and race-fixing (comments), the latter based on the nature of the crowd that hangs around Big Brown and some of the betting patterns Saturday.. The answer we’re going with: sometimes the best don’t perform their best. But folks like Dutrow would rather assign blame.

Here’s what Dutrow had to say:

Dutrow said he’s been unable to find anything physically wrong with Big Brown. He said the quarter crack on the colt’s left front hoof was fine and that he showed no signs of being sore. Desormeaux eased up Big Brown with a quarter-mile remaining in the race, won by 38-1 long shot Da’ Tara.

“I don’t know why he had to do that,” said Dutrow, who questioned Desormeaux’s decisions in the race.

Entering the first turn, Desormeaux took a hard hold of Big Brown and yanked him to the outside, bumping with Anak Nakal before finding running room outside of Tale of Ekati while Da’ Tara opened up a three-length lead around the clubhouse turn.

“I’m sure he didn’t have any idea what the hell was going on going into the first turn the way [Desormeaux] was switching him all over the damn track,” Dutrow said. “I don’t know what he was doing.”

That was after the jockey had told Dan Patrick the following:

DP: So, two races that you know of that they’ll race him, are you going to be the jockey for those two races?

KD: Yes I will, Dan. There’s definitely no one pointing a finger in my direction. In fact, I’ve been complimented by the trainer and the owner. Believe me, I was spanking on him, encouraging him to run until I was last. Icabad Crane came inside me, bumped me out of the way, and proceeded on his endeavor to win the race, but at that point I was already like seventh and backing up fast.

It’s all very sad, really. One of the worst traits in a human being — one that has unfortunately become more prevalent in a society that often seems more interested in avoiding mistakes than taking a chance on greatness — is the need to assign blame. Dutrow said, “I feel like a loser,” which is appropriate, though not in the context he’s describing. The heat, the cracked hoof that slowed down training, the stumble, the track: all small pieces that could have been overcome but added up to a great horse not having his best day. Like a pitcher without his best stuff, a quarterback missing reads and a goalie fighting the puck, a team (cough) giving up 40 runs ina four-game series, it happens. Lest we join the conspiracy theorists and connect the dots between Dutrow and hubris, let’s just say it wasn’t Big Brown’s day and leave it at that.

Fasola-link! Hoc-key?

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