UPS inks Big Brown marketing deal

[a kennedy]

ATLANTA - UPS believes Big Brown is the complete package.

The shipping giant is trying to capitalize on the Kentucky Derby winner, whose minority owner named the horse in the company's honor.

The company said Friday it has signed a marketing agreement with jockey Kent Desormeaux and Big Brown's owners. UPS, also known as United Parcel Service, will be the exclusive marketing partner of the Big Brown team.

The deal calls for the company logo to be the sole corporate sponsor logo on Desormeaux's racing pants during the Preakness Stakes on May 17 and the Belmont Stakes three weeks later.


Article here: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24545688/

[two gun sid]

1. A new stud deal. A marketing deal...

why even race the sonuvabitch? He makes more money standin' in his stall than most horses will make in a full career. He's nothing more than an asset on some spreadsheet to his investment banker owners.

He's a very talented horse but his connections are all assholes.

Oh yeah, it looks like the rain at Churchill kinda messed up Dutrow's training schedule with Big Brown. Or he could just be full of shit and is trying to put doubt in the bettors minds to get better odds for his owners to cash in on. Dutrow and IEAH are slippery and slimy fuckers.

[TZ]

2. What do you think?

Two more races and then he gets retired? I know you don't like the trainer, but I really would like to see a TC winner...I've been watching the TC religiously since 1980....
This commercialism deal just makes me sick though.
In your opinion what TC level trainers are not total slimeballs? I've always kind of liked Baffert...

[Justpat]

3. Baffert was one of the biggest milk shake trainers in the business.

Look where he is now without the milkshakes. He is just a regular guy with an
occasional stake horse instead of a predominant force in the business.

If want a list of the others who amassed fortunes as trainers using
milkshakes, send me a pm and I'll let you know.

When they end up doing away with ALL race day medication, no only will
the strongest horses filter back to the top, but the best horsemen and
horsewomen will also.

[bread_and_roses]

35. That will be a good day (n/t)

[two gun sid]

4. If he wins the Preakness and loses the Belmont...

he's done. He'll never race again. If he loses the Preakness he's finished, also. If he wins the TC we might see him race again. I'd guess 3 more races tops and that includes the TC races.

Lot's of good trainer's out there that don't cheat. I hope no one thinks I'm saying Dutrow is cheating with BB. He might not be. But, if you ever want to do some interesting reading google: Dutrow-Borislow-Queens Plate-Wild Desert-IEAH.

Baffert is I guy a like listening to on TV. He's a cheater but he does make me chuckle. I've always liked Bill Turner, Barclay Tagg, Cowboy Jones, Laura De Seroux, Mike Matz. I think those guys are on the up and up. Lukas, Baffert, Frankel, Asmussen, Biancone, Pletcher, Dutrow not so much.

[Justpat]

5. self delete

[two gun sid]

6. A question about Lukas...

and don't say anything if it could cause you any trouble.

It always seemed to me that Lukas had a lot of horses that broke down. Maybe it just seemed like it and I don't have any statistics from Equibase to back up my statement. It just always seemed like he did. I remember something De Seroux said about Lukas and a bullwhip when he took over Azeri's training.

I agree, raceday meds have got to go. We might have some short fields for awhile but ultimatly the sport will benefit.

[TZ]

7. I'm glad to hear about Mike Matz

He's such an interesting person..I was a fan of his when he was still doing Show Jumping....:)

[Justpat]

8. Michael Matz is a good horseman.

He is one of the good guys.

[two gun sid]

9. Mr. Matz is an interesting person...

and so are a lot of the people on the backside. This sport seems to draw people with wonderful stories to tell. Or maybe those wonderful stories are from the lives they live on the track. Charlie Whittingham used to ask his exercise riders why they needed a day off. He'd tell them, "But you've got a whole big world right here at the track".

Are you involved with Show Jumping?

[TZ]

10. Not really

Except for one of my best friends growing up had a wonderful horse named Cinnamon that she show jumped and showed. I went to numerous shows to root her on...Very amateur stuff, but fun for someone as horse mad as I always have been (I recently found my old collection of Breyer horses at my mom's house..boy do I love them still):)
Inspired me to take a Junior Appreticeship where I took care of a stable horse of my own for a whole week. You should have seen a less than 5 foot girl trying to put the bridle of a 16 hand horse.....:)

[two gun sid]

11. I worked around some show horses when I was...

in high school. I worked for a swanky boarding stable mucking stalls and doing grunt work. Long's Boarding Stable. It's long gone and the land was all sold to a steel company. They put up a mill and a parking lot covers most of the old trails. Only one horse there I remember: George Washington. He was the kickingest sonuvabitch I've ever been around. I hated him.

amatuer stuff's good. That's what we are really. We're not a force in the industry. But, I sure like taking our horses to the fairs and racing them. I really like racing at my home track in Jackson. It's getting so expensive and such a money losing proposition it's gotta be fun. That's the only thing that keeps me going.

Can you still tack up a horse?

[TZ]

12. Mm.

Probably not unless it was a really well behaved horse that won't kick when I tighten the girth and raise its head when I am trying to get the bit in. Its probably been..like 20 years since I've tacked or even ridden..sigh.
Also I got kicked really well in the leg the last time I tacked up a horse and that kind of made me gun shy....

[two gun sid]

13. Ouch! Occupational Hazard I guess...

a couple of years ago we had a yearling colt that liked to rear up and box with you. He's pretty well behaved now. I don't trust him though. If he ever caught me in the chest now like he did when he was a yearling he'd kill me.

I'm glad you still remember how to saddle one. When you get a chance get out and spend some time with a horse. Nothing better in the world.

[aaronbees]

14. Biancone is cobra venom...

literally!

Gotta say O'Neil is another one who's been busted. Makes me think twice about Lava Man, whom I love. Add Nafzger to the ones-to-like list, at least in my book and from what I know.

[two gun sid]

16. I'll add a few bad guys and good guys to the list...

Good guys - Ron McAnally, Bruce Headley, Dick Mandella, Allen Jerkins

Bad guys - Jeff Mullins, Vladimir Cerin, John Sadler

[northzax]

19. if he wins the tc, why race again?

he has two races left, don't you think?

[two gun sid]

21. Historically, the TC winners do race again...

only one I can think of that didn't was Count Fleet. I think there will be a demand for him to race again and his connections will not be able to resist giving him another race after a good long rest. I guess it would depend quite a bit on how that stallion deal is set up.

I'm thinking a BC Classic prep and an announcement just before the Breeder's Cup saying he's injured and he's got nothing left to prove, blah, blah blah...he's off to stud and it was a great ride while it lasted, etc.

[TZ]

23. Probably

I suppose (assuming BB wins the TC) the liklihood of him racing Curlin would be out of the question. Love to see it.

[two gun sid]

24. Oh man, that would be a race to see...

Big Brown is very good, but Curlin would eat his lunch.

It'll never happen though.

[northzax]

25. why risk it?

it was a different sport the last time we had a triple crown winner, the economics are different. Yes, a successful race as a four year old would be great for the sport, and for his stud fee, but imagine if he broke down? There goes fifty million or so.

[two gun sid]

26. He'll never race as a 4 YO...

The powers that be will put extreme pressure on IEAH to race him one more time as a 3 YO if he wins the TC. They'll write a race specifically for him so he'll face a bunch of bums. He'll win without ever being extended. But, of course, he'll sustain a minor injury before the BC and be kicking back in Kentucky by October.

Or I could be completely wrong. Either way, he races no more than 3 times before he retires to stud.

[aaronbees]

28. I won't miss him

... if he's retired early. I mean, whenever he retires it'll be true that we barely even knew him. Here's the face of IEAH:



You're right, Two Gun, the whole team stinks. Too bad a horse can't choose trainers. Good riddance to the whole damn lot of them if they bail early with Big Brown and cash in. Let's start over, horse racing gods.

[two gun sid]

29. Big Brown winning the TC doesn't bother me as much...

as the thought of Dickie Dutrow joining Sunny Jim Fitzsimmons, Jimmy Jones, Billy Turner and Laz Barrera in the record books. And IEAH being mentioned in the same breath as Belair Stud, Calumet Farms and Meadow Stables.

[aaronbees]

30. Absolutely on joining those owners, some of the greats

IEAH is nothing more than greed, a caculator and a cell phone.

[two gun sid]

31. Hey aaronbees! I don't mean to sound all melodramatic...

but, in the same way Secretariat was a bright spot in the darkness of the Vietnam war and Watergate, Big Brown and his connections are a metaphor of Bush's America. Greedy, talentless, unethical punks rubbing our noses in the shithole of a world they've made for us.

Maybe that is a little melodramatic.

[northzax]

I guess it depends on how the insurance is structured

IEAH would certainly love more profit, if they can lay off the risk. Bb isn't part of their new hedge fund operation, however.

[two gun sid]

34. Ain't that something? Did you read Beyer's WP article?...

Their business plan is nothing more than an Amway pyramid scheme. They win, their investors get taken to the cleaners. They'll last 5 years, max.

Looks like they are stalling on that stud deal for BB, too. They must really like their chances in the Preakness. Right now I'd say he's worth about 40M at stud. How much more do they really think they're gonna get for a son of Boundry if he wins at Pimlico?

[Awsi Dooger]

15. I think I predicted this a few weeks ago, in one of the racing threads

A UPS deal for Big Brown.

Kind of a laughable contradiction, isn't it? UPS changed its route software to avoid left hand turns whenever possible, maybe a year or two ago. I remember when that was highlighted in the media, a cost cutting maneuver when gas prices started to soar. It's definitely an astute strategy that I try to follow.

I wouldn't mind if Big Brown took an immediate right coming out of the gate at Pimlico. Circle the gate a few times.

[trumad]

20. Plus---UPS is huge in Kentucky...

Perfect fit... then again...it could be a jinx.

[two gun sid]

22. How about a prediction?...

how many does he win by at Pimlico?

[trumad]

27. 2

[Reynardo Parris]

17. Fed-Ex is superior

In the rare times I have sent stuff, I have found that Fed-Ex packages arrive faster, the service is friendlier and they have more locations, at least here in NYC.

[Justpat]

18. Maybe someone can name a horse Fed Ex,

and it can win next year's Derby.

[DU GrovelBot]

32. ## DON'T DONATE TO DEMOCRATIC UNDERGROUND! ##

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This week is our second quarter 2008 fund drive. Democratic Underground is
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[northzax]

33. yay! I had the magic post to bring out grovelbot!

Good times.

[two gun sid]

36. On Bellyaching

From Railbird Blog:
I've been accused of late, in emails and comments, of not being properly enthusiastic about Big Brown, so let me give the horse his due: Big Brown is a phenomenal talent, a freak, and he would be coming out of any barn. He's dominated every start, he's shown that he can rate or lead, that he can break from the inside or the outside. He accelerates effortlessly, and he displays qualities exhibited by past great racehorses -- he makes every race look like his own and every horse he beats look second-rate.

I hope he wins the Triple Crown. It's been 30 years; racing fans deserve a superstar.

Apparently, that's all I'm supposed to say. Anything else is "bellyaching."

You know, over the past two weeks, we've heard endlessly that racing is in crisis, that racing must change, that the sport has to deal with its drug problem and breed more durable horses.

http://www.jessicachapel.com/railbird/archives/001834on_bellyaching.html

This lady pretty much validates my feelings about Big Brown and his team. He is an awesome horse.

[trumad]

37. Good piece until it quotes David Brooks......LOL

I agree with most of it.... It's a shame that a talent like BB is handled by questionable characters and folks more interested in a buck.

Horse racing needs to revamp some rules and add some more incentive for additional races after the big 3. BB here today gone tomorrow kind of sucks for Joe Fan---but when you're talking millions in stud fees etc, it's all about the money.

[two gun sid]

38. Iavarone is saying they want to race him again....

after the Belmont if he comes out of it 100%.

I wonder what Three Chimney's thinks about Dutrow injecting Winstrol into BB every month even though he doesn't know what it does? Someone probably ought to talk to Dutrow about steroids and fertility issues, just to get him up to speed. Wouldn't that be a kick in the ass if BB was a shy breeder or didn't have many good swimmers because Dutrow just likes using Winstrol?