His comments on whether Mr. Big, should he be victorious tomorrow, will not achieve the noteriety of other thoroughbred heroes who have taken the crown:
“I can’t imagine it is important to compare him to horses that have run years ago . . . It might be fun for (the media) to do that. But it just don’t make no sense. He is running with the horses he has been running with and that is all that he can be expected to match up against."
I'm glad he realizes his position. He's sitting on a good horse, a very good horse. But certainly not a great horse. Just a horse who's got some style in a year when very few colts could put up a fight. That doesn't mean he doesn't deserve the crown, heavens no. You race against your generation, and currently he's the best there is in this one. However, in perhaps the most wonderful thing I have ever read him to say, Rick went on to suggest that maybe, just maybe (oh, please), Mr. Big might get pitted against the best of another generation...just to shake things up:
"Hopefully, we get to face Curlin in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. That would be exciting. We are looking forward to that.”
Me too Rick. Me too.
Oh, and incidentally, Suffolk Downs just announced that they will put up a $5 million purse for the Massachusetts Handicap should (1) Big Brown win the Triple Crown, (2) he and Curlin both remain undefeated this year, and (3) they both enter in the race. That's a bit of a tall order, but it's pretty hard to pass up a purse like that should everything else fall into place correctly. This makes me think of the match races of old. You know, despite the lackluster 3-year old season, this very well could end up being a very good year to be a horse racing fan.
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