Eclipse Award winner Big Brown , who stands at Robert N. Clay’s Three Chimneys Farm near Midway, Ky., will not be returning to Australia for the upcoming 2012 Southern Hemisphere breeding season. The 2008 champion 3-year-old male sustained a laceration to a hind leg, which, although not structurally serious, did become infected, delaying the healing process.
Veterinary advice has recommended against shuttling the horse, as the extensive travel and quarantine process would not be conducive to his recovery.
“Those who’ve been around Big Brown for any length of time know him to be a good-natured horse, which makes him a good patient,” said Three Chimneys president Case Clay. “While his initial injury didn’t affect his ability to cover mares, looking out for his best interest, shuttling would not be conducive to his recovery.”
Big Brown’s three winners include maiden special weight victors Brown Eyes Blue at Churchill Downs and Brown Almighty at Arlington Park.
Big Brown covered 140 mares during the 2012 Northern Hemisphere season. In Australia, he is based at Vinery Australia.
“We are very happy for those breeders who took the opportunity to send mares to Big Brown in his first two seasons (in Australia), 130 plus each year,” said Vinery’s Peter Orton. “It looks like he is going to reward their support given good early results and the promise of so much more to come. We greatly look forward to Big Brown’s return to Vinery in 2013.”
Big Brown (Boundary—Mein, by Nureyev) won the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) and the Preakness Stakes (gr. I) the year of his championship. He stood for $35,000 live foal in 2012.