Nick Zito’s horse Da’ Tara wins Belmont Stakes at 38/1 odds to win; Big Brown finishes in last place.

In what was built up to be a “guaranteed win” for trainer Rick Dutrow and his horse Big Brown, the 2008 Belmont Stakes was won by a longshot, Da’ Tara. The horse racing industry would have to wait 31 years to see its next Triple Crown winner.

There will likely be many questions asked…

What went wrong? Was he injured? Was the heat at Belmont Park a factor? Here’s what jockey Kent Desormeaux had to say immediately following the race:

“He was keen to go on early…he breaks so early…he stumbled a bit,” Desormeaux said. “I have no idea what happened; I had no horse.”

Big Brown finished the Belmont Stakes in last place. The Triple Crown is denied.

As far as winner Da’ Tara and Nick Zito are concerned, this was indeed a big day and one that Zito was prepared to have fun with (when asked on Friday):

“These are long shots but that’s what makes racing,” Zito said Friday outside his barn at Belmont Park. “Look, Upset beat Man ‘o War (in 1919) and that’s where you get the sports terminology ‘upset.’ So that’s the deal. We’ll have fun with it.”

For more information on the Belmont Stakes, the Triple Crown and the upcoming Breeders’ Cup, check out the Bodog Racebook.