Big Brown delivers win, and sigh of relief

Kent Desormeaux drives Big Brown (center) between Magical Forest (right) and Atoned in his first race since the Belmont (mel evans/Associated Press)

OCEANPORT, N.J. - In six previous races, Big Brown displayed his skills winning - and losing - in dramatic fashion.

The 3-year-old colt had taken on almost legendary status in breezing to wins in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness with bold moves. He blew away fields which, although perceived as weak, were still the best thoroughbred racing had to offer.

Even in the one race he didn't win - the Belmont Stakes - Big Brown lost in a spectacular manner, pulling up midway through the race. Not only didn't Big Brown deliver with his chance to become the first Triple Crown winner in 30 years, he finished last.

Yesterday, Big Brown showed another trait in running down Coal Play to win the $1 million Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park by a 1 3/4 lengths. It was not Big Brown's most impressive victory, but it was his most dramatic and revealed an aspect of his personality that not even trainer Rick Dutrow or jockey Kent Desormeaux had witnessed - the characteristics of a champion.

This clearly was no day at the beach for Big Brown, despite the 1-5 odds in what was perceived as a weak seven-horse field.

"Right at the top of the turn, he took off," said Desormeaux, who rode Big Brown through the triumph and disappointment of the Triple Crown season. "I said this is not going to be easy. But Big Brown set himself and took off after the leader."

That would be Coal Play, a Nick Zito-trained horse, ridden by Joe Bravo, whose last appearance at Monmouth Park resulted in a third-place finish in a $41,000 allowance race.

But despite Desormeaux's intention of having Big Brown grab the lead early, Coal Play wouldn't allow it. Coal Play took the lead at the quarter pole and gave every indication he was going to spoil Big Brown's day - and perhaps his career, since co-owner Michael Iavarone had all but stated that a loss would very well mean it would be Big Brown's last race.

At each stretch of the race, mile posts for previous winning moves, Big Brown ran - but Coal Play ran better or faster.

As the field turned for home, Coal Play still had the lead and the question of Big Brown's ability and his heart was very much in doubt.

This was not a Triple Crown challenge of the best 3-year-olds, but a field seemingly better suited for a midweek allowance field.

Coal Play had not even run in a Grade 1 race during his career, and was only victorious in one of his last two allowance races - both at Monmouth.

The other horses in the field offered a similar lack of credentials.

But this time, Coal Play looked like a champion - or champion buster - until the stretch.

"My horse ran an awesome race," said Bravo, who did all the things Desormeaux wanted to do, but better, until the stretch run when Big Brown ran him down.

"I felt very confident in this horse running into the race. He ran great. I can't complain."

Neither could Zito.

"I thought we had a hell of a shot turning for home," said Zito, whose horse, Da' Tara, was the upset winner in the Belmont. "I thought to myself, 'We could do this again.'

"I'm very happy right now. We made [Big Brown] run, that's for sure."

Yes, they did. Desormeaux, taking note of a quick pace that produced a 46.59 half-mile over the 1 1/8-mile route, decided not to engage in a speed race.

"It would have been suicidal," said Desormeaux.

So he waited. And waited. And you could almost hear the intake of breath from the crowd of 45,132 who had come out to see if Big Brown was as good - or as bad - as he had shown during the spring.

When Big Brown finally kicked in the extra gear, it was a sight to behold as he took Coal Play into his sights and ran him down.

Big Brown finished in 1 minute 48.31 seconds, ahead of Coal Play and Cool Coal Man (also trained by Zito) for a first-place purse worth $600,000.

"He's a great race horse," said Dutrow. "Most of them have that ability, we just didn't get a chance to see it until today."

Desormeaux, still carrying the disappointment of the Belmont loss in his gut, also saw something up close and personal.

"He's a warrior," said Desormeaux. "He's got some courage. If he was a human, I'd want to go out [night] clubbing with him.

"He's just awesome. He's got an aura, he's a superstar. He's champion and he just got it done."

Mark Blaudschun can be reached at blaudschun@globe.com.