VOA标准英语2008年-Big Brown Pulls up in Horse Racing's Triple Cro

By Jim Stevenson
Elmont, New York
08 June 2008

Big Brown has fallen shot of winning horse racing's so-called Triple Crown, finishing last at the Belmont Stakes in New York. As VOA's Jim Stevenson reports, the race belonged to an unlikely winner.
　

Da'Tara crosses the finish line to win the 140th Belmont Stakes in New York, 07 Jun 2008

The underdog Da'Tara won the 140th running of the Belmont Stakes. At 38-1 odds¹ of winning, Da'Tara set the pace out of the gate.

Big Brown, the Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner, started the long 2.4 kilometer run on the inside rail. He slipped into what appeared to be a comfortable pace in third place. But when jockey Kent Desormeaux asked Big Brown for more speed, the horse did not respond and he pulled up on the final turn.

"When I got outside going into the first turn, I said 'this is is. The race is over. I got it.' And unfortunately there were no popped tires. He was just out of gas," he said.

Denis of Cork² placed second, five and one-half lengths behind Da'Tara. Anak Nakal was third.
　

Big Brown being led to the track, 07 Jun 2008

In the week leading up to the race, Big Brown was treated for a quarter crack in his left hoof³. It is not clear if it had an impact, or if the very hot weather affected⁴ his run.

Veterinarians on hand did not see an immediate⁵ cause for Big Brown's last place finish and first career defeat. Big Brown is the 11th horse to fall short of wining all three races since Affirmed in 1978.

1 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？

2 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。

3 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。

4 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

5 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。