Lung Infection Derails Brown Almighty

A frustrated trainer Tim Ice reported Brown Almighty, the stakes-winning 3-year-old who finished a disappointing fifth in the Smarty Jones Stakes had a severe lung infection.

“He scoped a five out of five,” Ice confirmed Wednesday, two days after the horse’s Twitter and Facebook accounts reported the test results. The son of Big Brown was making his dirt debut in the Smarty Jones after a successful 2-year-old campaign spent mainly in turf races.

“It was really frustrating because he never showed me any signs of it before the race,” said Ice. “We got him back to the wash stall and he coughed twice standing there. We scoped him and it was pretty severe.”

Ice said Brown Almighty would be treated with antibiotics. Next-race plans are on hold, but they would compare the $300,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) Feb. 18 and the Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds on Feb. 23 depending on how quickly the illness clears.

“We want to run in the Southwest, but it’s going to be a matter of how much time he needs,” said Ice.