After running his mouth for six weeks, Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner Big Brown’s trainer, Rick Dutrow Jr. (perspiring at right), refused to be interviewed on ABC immediately after his horse failed in his bid for the Triple Crown at the Belmont Stakes on Saturday in New York.
Da’ Tara was the winning horse; Big Brown was ninth out of nine horses.
Dutrow finally spoke with reporters almost one hour after the defeat. He wasn’t shy about finding his way in front of the camera at each of Brown’s previous victories, so why now did he feel the need to tell reporters "Don’t even think about it" when asked for an interview?
Big Brown has suffered from a cracked hoof and ran Saturday like there was a problem. But I’m not buying the idea that Dutrow was avoiding TV face time because he was worried about his ailing horse. I think he was trying to get the taste of humble pie out of his mouth.
You can’t have it both ways, Rick. Don’t hide when things don’t go your way. Suck it up and give the post-race interview.

Photo by Rob Carr / Associated Press