VOA标准英语2008年-Thoroughbred 'Big Brown' Goes for Triple Crown

By Teresa Sullivan
Washington
06 June 2008

Champion thoroughbred "Big Brown" is a strong contender to become the first horse in 30 years to win U.S. horse racing¹'s Triple Crown on Saturday when he runs in the Belmont Stakes in New York. Big Brown already has won the first two "jewels" in the trio of races, the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes. As VOA's Teresa Sullivan reports, the outcome of Saturday's Belmont Stakes will determine if the heavily-favored three-year-old colt will become an equine racing legend.
　

Kent Desormeaux rides Big Brown to a victory during the 134th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, 3 May 2008 (file photo)

Odds²-on favorite "Big Brown" has drawn³ the number-one post for Saturday's Belmont Stakes in Elmont, New York.

A victory would make him only the 12th horse overall, and the first horse since "Affirmed" in 1978, to win the Triple Crown.

A loss would make him the 11th horse since 1979 to fail in completing a Triple Crown championship at Belmont.

Big Brown has won all five of his career starts by a combined 39 lengths. Oddsmakers list him at overwhelming two-to-five odds in a field of ten for the 2,400-meter race.

Big Brown jockey Kent Desormeaux says he has a game plan for the Belmont.

"I am going to let him break in and see what everybody else is doing, and if I am riding with some peers that want to be aggressive then we will cross that bridge when we get to it," he said. "But quite honestly, the faster we go, the probably less chance they have of being second."

Free from injury at both the Derby and Preakness, Big Brown has since developed a 1.59 centimeter vertical⁴ split, a so-called "quarter crack," on the inside of his front left hoof⁵.

Veterinarian hoof specialist, Ian McKinley says the bay colt's current quarter crack, a common injury, will be patched with a set of wires and mesh⁶.

Just like human athletes, Big Brown wears special footwear. He has glue-on horseshoes to protect his hooves on race day.

His trainer Rick Dutrow, says he believes Big Brown knows he is on the verge⁷ of something great.

"I cannot imagine anything could be any better with the horse," he said. "He was awful rough this morning around the barn, just walking. I have never seen him like that. So he knows something is coming. He knows it is soon. I just could not be happier with the horse."

Challenging Big Brown Saturday is a field that includes the Japanese-bred colt "Casino Drive," who is listed at seven-to-two odds, and "Denis of Cork⁸" who is third favorite at 12-to-one odds.

But Dutrow is not worried about the competition or the quarter crack. The trainer says Big Brown is, by far, the best horse in the race.

The conjecture⁹ ends Saturday.

1 racing   

n.竞赛，赛马；adj.竞赛用的，赛马用的

参考例句：

• I was watching the racing on television last night.昨晚我在电视上看赛马。
• The two racing drivers fenced for a chance to gain the lead.两个赛车手伺机竞相领先。

2 odds   

n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别

参考例句：

• The odds are 5 to 1 that she will win.她获胜的机会是五比一。
• Do you know the odds of winning the lottery once?你知道赢得一次彩票的几率多大吗？

3 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

4 vertical   

adj.垂直的，顶点的，纵向的；n.垂直物，垂直的位置

参考例句：

• The northern side of the mountain is almost vertical.这座山的北坡几乎是垂直的。
• Vertical air motions are not measured by this system.垂直气流的运动不用这种系统来测量。

5 hoof   

n.(马，牛等的)蹄

参考例句：

• Suddenly he heard the quick,short click of a horse's hoof behind him.突然间，他听见背后响起一阵急骤的马蹄的得得声。
• I was kicked by a hoof.我被一只蹄子踢到了。

6 mesh   

n.网孔，网丝，陷阱；vt.以网捕捉，啮合，匹配；vi.适合； [计算机]网络

参考例句：

• Their characters just don't mesh.他们的性格就是合不来。
• This is the net having half inch mesh.这是有半英寸网眼的网。

7 verge   

n.边，边缘；v.接近，濒临

参考例句：

• The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
• She was on the verge of bursting into tears.她快要哭出来了。

8 cork   

n.软木，软木塞

参考例句：

• We heard the pop of a cork.我们听见瓶塞砰的一声打开。
• Cork is a very buoyant material.软木是极易浮起的材料。

9 conjecture   

n./v.推测，猜测

参考例句：

• She felt it no use to conjecture his motives.她觉得猜想他的动机是没有用的。
• This conjecture is not supported by any real evidence.这种推测未被任何确切的证据所证实。