In 2008, Big Brown captivated the American public with his flashy wins and charismatic bid to win the Triple Crown. With a career record of seven wins in eight starts, he defied the odds in several races and produced mind-bending accomplishments on the track.
As a two-year-old, Big Brown broke his maiden at Saratoga in a dazzling 11-1/4 length victory. When he entered his three-year-old season, Big Brown won four consecutive races between March 5 and May 17, including the Kentucky Derby and Preakness.
In the Kentucky Derby, Big Brown won by a thrilling 4-3/4 length victory after having had only three prior career starts. He became the only horse in history to win from the 20th gate post.
Entering the Preakness, Americans fixed their attention on Big Brown after his dominating win at the Derby. Big Brown delivered an astonishing 5-1/4 length win in the Preakness. When all eyes turned toward Big Brown in the Belmont, he experienced the sole heartbreaking loss in his career. However, his tremendous presence and star quality drew new fans into the sport of horse racing – the fourth largest crowd in history showed up at the Belmont Stakes to watch Big Brown make his bid for the Triple Crown.
Prior to retiring, he won his last two career starts – the $1,000,000 Haskell Invitational (Grade 1) and the $500,000 Monmouth Stakes. Jockey, Angel Cordero, encapsulated the exceptional talent of Big Brown: “He’s like a car – he comes with everything. Just step on it, and you’re there.”
Since his retirement, Big Brown has bred over 100 mares at Three Chimneys Farm. As the first foals by Big Brown are emerging at various stables, he continues to make his mark on the sport of horse racing. This year, Big Brown will travel to Australia to stand at Hunter Valley farm.
Prior to his anticipated departure for Australia, Three Chimneys Farm graciously provided me with an interview. After chasing him from the Derby to the Belmont, I was elated to finally catch up on Big Brown.
JW: After winning the Kentucky Derby and Preakness in 2008, Three Chimneys Farm struck a deal to stand Big Brown prior to the Belmont race. At the time the decision was made, did the farm believe that Big Brown was going to win the Triple Crown?
TCF: We thought he had a better chance than just about any horse in recent decades. From his first start to his runaway win in the Preakness, he really hadn’t been tested. His rivals couldn’t even get close to him and in the Preakness, running against some of the best of his generation, he won under wraps by 5 ¼ lengths.
JW: What are the overall qualities about Big Brown that led to the decision of Three Chimneys Farm to acquire him for breeding?
TCF: Obviously the brilliance he showed in his first three races was a major factor. He achieved a series of “firsts” and “bests” that rank him with the all-time greats, such as being the first horse to win from the 12 and 20 posts in the Florida Derby (G1) and Kentucky Derby (G1) respectively. On top of that, he ran the best Ragozin number in Kentucky Derby history. He’d come to the Derby virtually untested, and on racing’s biggest day, left the rest of the field eating his dust.
Combined with that is his physical appearance. He is beautifully conformed and well-balanced. He’s not too big or small; not too heavy or light. The way he’s built makes for an effortless stride, allowing him to float across the track with minimal exertion.
From a pedigree standpoint, he’s inbred 3 x 3 to Northern Dancer, making him a likely candidate for crossing well with Mr. Prospector-line mares, not to mention Halo, Roberto, Seattle Slew, and Blushing Groom strains as well.
Also factored into the mix is his temperament, which couldn’t be better. We saw time and time again during his racing career that he took everything in stride. He’s level-headed, intelligent and kind. He doesn’t fight his rider in the morning or in a race and, as a result, is not hard on himself whatsoever.
JW: Big Brown has bred with over 100 mares in his first season. How is it determined which mares are bred with Big Brown?
TCF: We have an expert pedigree consultant on staff at Three Chimneys by the name of Anne Peters. She looks at the pedigree of each mare submitted to Big Brown and also considers the physical qualities the mare possesses, any soundness issues on either the sire or dam’s side, and other factors.
Based on what similar breedings have resulted in the past and what the mare has produced or accomplished herself on the racetrack, Anne makes a judgment as to whether the mare would be a suitable mate for Big Brown (this is done with mares submitted to all of our stallions).
If, for example, she feels the mare would not pair up well with Big Brown, she then suggest other mating options (either stallions at our farm or at other farms) that might pair up more favorably.
JW: The first reported foal by Big Brown was born on January 12, 2010. How many foals by Big Brown do you anticipate being born this year?
TCF: We limit all of our stallion’s books so as not to saturate the market with their offspring and so the horse is not over-used, so we expect Big Brown to have a crop of around 100 foals. 71 of the mares he was bred to are either stakes performers or stakes performing producers, so it is definitely a quality book.
So far, the feedback we’ve received has been extremely positive regarding his foals. He’s really stamping them with his build, athleticism and balance and they seem to have his temperament as well. Obviously mares come in all shapes and sizes, but his foals are surprisingly similarly built.
JW: On the track, Big Brown produced flashy wins and had an intimidating build. Having had the opportunity to establish a more intimate understanding of this horse, how would you describe Big Brown’s personality?
TCF: Big Brown is the epitome of a healthy, happy horse. He has an outstanding temperament in that he is not easily rattled and is quite personable. We ride our stallions 6 days a week (they gallop a mile and a quarter) and Big Brown just floats around the track with his ears pricked – if horses could smile, they would look like Big Brown under saddle.
That’s not to say he doesn’t have a bit of a wild side. Some days he puts on quite a show in his paddock for visitors who come to the farm for our daily tours. He loves to kick up his heels and tear around his paddock, throwing in a playful rear here and there just for fun.
JW: In his retirement, does Big Brown continue to receive attention from fans and visitors?
TCF: Three Chimneys began offering daily public tours when Seattle Slew stood here and still conducts them five days a week. We estimate that our stallions receive more than 25,000 visitors a year from the tours alone and the horses that we receive the most requests to see are Big Brown and Smarty Jones.
We also have a visitors’ center near our main office, where tourists gather before and after the stallion division tour to see photos of the stallions, purchase hats with a stallion’s name and silks on them, and look through farm literature and all of the fan mail our stallions, especially Big Brown and Smarty Jones, receive (and they do receive A LOT of fan mail).
JW: Does Big Brown have any unique personality traits or favorite items?
TCF: Big Brown loves peppermints and butterscotch candy. He also seems to be fascinated with children. Anytime a child comes to the front of his stall, Big Brown lowers his head to greet them.
This past fall we also saw Big Brown’s uncanny ability to adapt to any situation. Make A Wish brought a child out to meet Big Brown. The child had severe disabilities, so petting Big Brown was a very slow process (and wouldn’t have been possible without that wonderful temperament he possesses). Big Brown stood like a statue while the child pet his mane and shoulder and even pressed the “go button” birthmark on his side. The child’s eyes were wide and bright and he let out numerous giggles, bringing tears to the eyes of his parents and just about everyone else in attendance.
JW: Recently, it was announced that Big Brown will be shipped to Australia to stand at Hunter Valley Farm. What led to this arrangement and do you anticipate that Big Brown will return to Three Chimneys Farm in the future?
TCF: Big Brown’s pedigree is highly desirable in the Australian market, as it matches up favorably with many of the mares in that part of the world. Big Brown will shuttle, meaning that he will ship to Australia (accompanied by his groom) and stand the Southern Hemisphere breeding season, which is during the opposite time of year as our Northern Hemisphere breeding season.
Once the Southern Hemisphere breeding season has concluded, he will travel back to the United States to Three Chimneys. This will be an ongoing arrangement, so long as Big Brown handles the physical and mental demands of shuttling (which we expect him to have no problem doing).
Click here to comment on this article or email Jennifer Wirth at blog@thesaturdaypost.org.
For more information on Three Chimney’s Farm, please visit their website.
Three Chimneys Farm also has a fan club, “Club Three Chimneys.” For a $35 annual membership fee, members receive trial subscriptions to the Blood-Horse and Thoroughbred Times (8 week subscriptions to each, with the option to subscribe on an annual basis at a heavily discounted rate) a hat, weekly emails about stallions, progeny and farm updates, free farm tours, quarterly newsletters, contests, and more. You can find more information about the club at on their membership page for Club Three Chimneys.
On January 1st, 2010, the next group of Derby hopefuls all turned the three as the nation celebrated the new year. As the days begin to roll by, many trainers and owners will begin to set their gaze on one of the most prized accomplishments in sports - the winning of the Triple Crown in horseracing.