GEORGETOWN, KY – Sept. 30, 2024 – Old Friends, the Thoroughbred retirement farm in Georgetown, Ky., is extremely pleased to announce the arrival of 2008 Kentucky Derby (G1) and Preakness Stakes (G1) winner Big Brown for his retirement.
The 19-year old bay stallion arrived at the farm on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, courtesy of Andy Cohen, Managing Partner of the Big Brown Syndicate.
Big Brown is the fifth Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner to be retired to Old Friends. The others (and their arrival year) are: Silver Charm (2014), War Emblem (2015), Charismatic (2016), and I’ll Have Another (2024).
“We are excited beyond measure to welcome Big Brown as an honored member of the Old Friends family,” said John Nicholson, President and CEO of Old Friends. “We are deeply grateful to Andy Cohen and all of Big Brown’s connections for choosing to share this great horse with racing fans everywhere. I know his legions of fans will love having the chance to visit him throughout the year. Big Brown will be an awesome ambassador, not only for Old Friends, but for the sport of Thoroughbred Racing.”
“It doesn’t seem that long ago when we would visit Big Brown in the middle of the night and just hang out with him,” said Andy Cohen, Managing Partner of the Big Brown Syndicate. “He was like a puppy and especially loved it when the young children would come over to pet him.
“As sweet as he was, when he got on the racetrack he knew it was time to go to work. I remember after his race at Gulfstream Park, Kent Desormeaux said he is the fastest horse I’ve ever ridden and the rest is history.
“After visiting Old Friends and getting to know John Nicholson and Michael Blowen I couldn’t be more comfortable knowing Big Brown will get the love and care he deserves at Old Friends where the horse is the boss.”
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Save the Date
Old Friends will be hosting Big Brown’s Barn Bash on Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. There will be a lot of fun activities and a chance to meet the guest of honor, Big Brown. More information will be coming soon.
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Bred by Monticule, Big Brown, who is by Boundary–Mien, by Nureyev, was foaled in Kentucky on April 10, 2005.
After being purchased at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall 2006 Yearling Sale by Eddie Woods, agent, for $60,000, he was then put into the Keeneland April 2007 Two-Year Olds in Training Sale and purchased by Paul Pompa, Jr. for $190,000.
Big Brown began his racing career as a 2-year old in 2007 under the care of trainer Patrick Reynolds for Pompa Jr. On Sept. 3, with jockey Jeremy Rose riding, he won his first and only start of the year, a maiden special weight race at Saratoga, by an impressive 11-1/4 lengths.
He began his 3-year old campaign in 2008 under a new trainer, Richard Dutrow, Jr., and a partnership group consisting of Pompa, Jr. and IEAH Stable, which was founded by Michael Iavarone. He also had a new jockey, Ken Desormeaux, who would ride him the rest of his career.
His first two races that year were at Gulfstream Park. In his first start, he won an allowance race by 12-3/4 lengths. Then, in his next start, he moved up in class and won the Florida Derby (G1) by five lengths for his first graded-stakes victory and a spot in the Kentucky Derby (G1).
He then headed to Churchill Downs for the 134th running of the Run for the Roses and won the race by 4-3/4 lengths. Two weeks later, Big Brown won the Preakness Stakes (G1) by 5-1/4 lengths, and with that win, headed to Belmont Park to try and become the first winner of the Triple Crown in 30 years since Affirmed did it in 1978.
However, in the lead-up to the Belmont Stakes (G1), Big Brown developed a quarter crack in his left front hoof, and there were questions about whether he’d be able to participate.
Prior to race day though, it was determined he was okay to run, but in the race, while he was in good position to go for the lead coming out of the final turn, he soon began to fall back rapidly. So, Desormeaux, realizing Big Brown was not going to win the race, chose to pull his horse up to avoid possible injury and save him for another day.
Big Brown was given some time to rest, and then came back later in the year and won his next two starts, both at Monmouth Park – the Haskell Invitational Stakes (G1), and the Monmouth Stakes (Listed).
He was next scheduled to run in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1), but another injury forced him to be withdrawn from the race and retired. He finished his career with seven wins in eight starts and $3,614,500 in earnings and was awarded the Eclipse Award as 2008 Champion 3-Year Old Colt.
Big Brown began his stud career at Three Chimney’s Farm and stood there from 2009 to 2014. He also shuttled to Australia between 2010 and 2014.
In 2014, Andrew Cohen’s Sunrise Stables and Gary Tolchin’s Golden Goose Enterprises, who were both involved with Big Brown’s ownership group, obtained a majority interest in the stallion and announced that he would be relocated to New York for the 2015 season, and he would stand at Dutchess Views Farm in Pine Plains, New York. Then, in 2018, Dutchess Views Farms formed a joint venture with Irish Hill Century Farm for breeding, and two years later in 2020, Big Brown became New York’s leading sire.
Big Brown had a good stud career. Some of his leading progeny includes: Dortmund, a multiple graded-stakes winner who won over $1.9 million; Somelikeithotbrown, the New York-bred Champion 3-year old of 2019, and 2020 Bernard Baruch (G2) winner; and Funny Guy, a graded-stakes placed and Black Type winner.
Big Brown was pensioned in 2024 and thanks to Cohen and all of Big Brown’s connections, the decision was made to send him to Old Friends to enjoy retirement.
