Big Brown entices fans

OCEANPORT, N.J. – It might be the most anticipated running of the Haskell Invitational since 1987.

In that race, Belmont Stakes winner Bet Twice, trained by the legendary Jimmy Croll, who died on June 6, edged Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Alysheba by a neck with multiple stakes winner Lost Code a neck back in a thrilling finish. That race put the Haskell on the map.

The depth of talent that will leave the starting gate today at Monmouth Park is not comparable to 1987.

Yet the anticipation over how Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Big Brown will fare in his first start since his dismal performance in the Belmont Stakes is high.

The attendance could approach Monmouth Park’s all-time record of 53,638 set on Haskell Day 2003.

“I don’t think anybody in this business can say there was a race so awesomely impressive as the Preakness,” said Monmouth Park vice president and general manager Bob Kulina. “That was like, scary impressive.

“Then, you throw in whatever happened in the Belmont, I think people are going to see a special horse here (today).”

Big Brown, who was eased by jockey Kent Desormeaux with a quarter of mile remaining in the Belmont and failed to become thoroughbred racing’s 12th Triple Crown winner and first in 30 years, will break from post position No. 4. He is the 1-2 morning line favorite over six rivals, who have combined for only two graded stakes wins and five stakes wins in all.

The 41st renewal of the Haskell is all about Big Brown. Will we see the Big Brown who was impressive in the Derby and Preakness? Or the Big Brown who ran terribly in the Belmont?

Big Brown’s connections, from Michael Iavarone, the co-president of IEAH Corp, the outfit that has majority ownership in the horse, to trainer Rick Dutrow, are anxious for the questions to be answered.

The bay colt has had six workouts at Aqueduct since July 2. Among those was an excellent clocking of 1:10.4 for six furlongs on July 26 and a 38.3 for three furlongs on the turf Friday.

“He could be better than the Big Brown leading up to the Kentucky Derby right now,” Iavarone said. “After the Belmont, everybody was real concerned that maybe something had gone wrong physically.

“When Rick breezed him five-eighths in 1:06 and change (1:06.2 on July 2), I was naturally concerned about it. I called Rick, and he said it was just to make sure all the mechanics were functioning properly.

“Every work since then has been progressively faster and progressively better. We’re very excited to see him come into the race the right way.”

Dutrow, who was cocky during the Triple Crown run, was more subdued last Tuesday on the National Thoroughbred Racing Association’s conference call.

“He looks like he’s in amazing condition,” Dutrow said. “He’s on top of his game.”

Everything, including Monmouth Park’s speed-favoring surface, should set up perfectly for Big Brown.

He should be able to sit just off the pace that figures to be set by the Nick Zito-trained Coal Play, who had an impressive nine-length win in an allowance race at Monmouth on May 25 before finishing third on July 4 in an optional claimer at Monmouth and Magical Forest. Coal Play also won the Grade III Barbaro at Delaware Park on July 13 by coming back along the rail in the stretch in his last start.

The logical contenders to pick up the pieces if Big Brown throws in another clunker are the Zito-trained Cool Coal Man and the Todd Pletcher-trained Atoned.

Cool Coal Man won the Spend A Buck at Monmouth Park by a neck on June 14, but was 15th, beaten 31 lengths by Big Brown in the Derby. He did win the Grade II Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream Park on Feb. 24.

Atoned was second in the Spend A Buck and second by a head to Cool Coal Man and Coal Play’s stablemate Truth Rules in the Long Branch on July 12.

Atoned, who will wear blinkers for the first time, has had a severe case of seconditis. He has seven seconds and just two wins in 12 starts and has lost six races by a neck or less.

New Jersey-bred Nistle’s Crunch is the only horse in the race to have won on three different surfaces, dirt, turf and synthetic.