Big Brown's Belmont Drug Tests Negative
by Karen Johnson
Date Posted: 6/30/2008 2:56:40 PM
Last Updated: 7/2/2008 11:59:28 AM

Big Brown at Belmont Park
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Photo: Rick Samuels
Dr. George Maylin, the director of the New York State Racing and Wagering Board drug testing and research program at Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y., said the post-race test results on Belmont Stakes (gr. I) favorite Big Brown came back "clean" for any illegal medications.

"We tested for a lot of compounds," Maylin said June 30. "There are certain compounds that requiring testing in graded stakes. I would say there were over 500 compounds tested."

Big Brown's test results came back June 16. The Belmont was run June 7.

Maylin declined to comment on whether the presense of anabolic steroids, which are legal in New York, were present in Big Brown, the winner of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr.I) and the Preakness Stakes (gr.I). The colt's trainer, Rick Dutrow Jr., said that the last dose of the anabolic steroid, Winstrol, that was given to Big Brown was in April.

Big Brown was pulled up by jockey Kent Desormeaux early in the stretch in the Belmont. So far Dutrow has not come up with a physical reason for the performance. Photographs have indicated that Big Brown was running with a dislodged shoe on his right hind foot throughout most of the race.

Big Brown has resumed training at Aqueduct, and is being pointed to the Haskell (gr.I) at Monmouth Park Aug. 3.

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