LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Jockey errors to blame for Big Brown's big loss

To the sports editor:

Big Brown lost the Belmont -- and the Triple Crown -- last Saturday because of a bad ride by jockey Kent Desormeaux.

Having the rail in the Belmont was the post with the best options. However, since there was no real early speed in the race, the only realistic option was to go to the front and control the race, which Desormeaux did not do.

Also, Big Brown was "checked up" twice by Desormeaux just after the start, causing the horse to "choke down." This means the horse's air passage was temporarily blocked, causing him to lose his desire to race. This can happen if the rider takes an abrupt hold of the horse.

P. DEL VECCHIO

Big Brown unfit, thanks to money-hungry trainer

To the sports editor:

I must concur with Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas, who concluded that Big Brown's humiliating defeat in the Belmont was due to a lack of conditioning.

This criticism must be directed at Big Brown's trainer, Rick Dutrow Jr., who was so busy thinking about multimillion-dollar breeding rights offers to the horse's owner that he forgot to train Big Brown.

If a horse ever again is going to win the demanding Triple Crown, talent alone will not do it. The horse must be trained aggressively through the race series.

Big Brown was a sadly unfit horse, and thoroughbred racing fans were greatly disserviced by the actions of Dutrow.

JAN E. FREEMAN

The Review-Journal welcomes letters from its readers. Letters should be 150 words or less and must include the author's name and phone number. Send letters to: Letters to the Sports Editor, Las Vegas Review-Journal, P.O. Box 70, Las Vegas, NV 89125-0070. Letters also can be e-mailed to: jhawk@reviewjournal.com.