For weeks, Rick Dutrow Jr. welcomed the media into his world like he was running for office.

He bragged outrageously about the horse he trains, Big Brown, and guaranteed a win in the Belmont Stakes, which would have put the trainer on the Hall of Fame train with the first Triple Crown winner in 30 years.

Dutrow even claimed John Servis, who trained Smarty Jones in 2004, wasn’t smart going into the Belmont.

Smarty Jones finished second. Big Brown was an official DNF (did not finish ). He was pulled up by jockey Kent Desormeaux. Some say it was the humane thing to do, but so far, no one has found anything physically wrong with Big Brown.

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Suddenly, the man who loved to talk had nothing to say.

Dutrow, who has been fined or suspended for drugging horses each of the past eight years, wanted no part of the media.

So the speculation began.

The track was too deep for Big Brown.

It was too hot.

His foot might not have been well.

He could have used his monthly shot of Winstrol (a steroid ).

Lost in all the confusion of Big Brown being the first horse in Triple Crown history to go into the Belmont with two wins and not finish was what a great and strategic race Da’ Tara got from jockey Alan Garcia.

Big Brown and Da’ Tara were the only horses with early speed in the race, and when the gates opened, Da’ Tara, who had moved from the six post to five when Casino Drive scratched, bolted to the lead in front of Big Brown.

Tale of Ekati settled in on his right hip, and Big Brown was locked down on the rail getting dirt kicked in his face, something he has not been accustomed to in his illustrious career.

Going into the first turn, it appeared Desormeaux might have panicked a little and yanked his horse outside.

Garcia was unconcerned, patiently putting up fractions of 23. 8, 48. 3 and 1: 12. 9 for the first 6 furlongs, and no one was challenging the slow pace.

Big Brown was still third, but now, he was racing wide.

At the 1-mile mark, with a half-mile to go, 1: 37. 9 came up for the 8 furlongs, and it was obvious Da’ Tara had dictated the pace and was not tiring.

The longest shot on the board stayed the course and finished more than 5 lengths in front of Denis of Cork, whose style is to come from off the pace.

While it was a surprise that Desormeaux pulled Big Brown up, it was not a shock that he did not win the Triple Crown, something only 11 horses have done.

Big Brown became the 19 th horse to win the Kentucky Derby and Preakness but not the Belmont.

Unfortunately for Big Brown, a very good thoroughbred, he was not as beloved as Smarty Jones or even the gelding Funny Cide because of Dutrow and part-owner Michael Iavarone, who once was fined for illegal sales of stocks.

Dutrow practically washed out before the race. His blue shirt was soaked in sweat.

When the race ended, Desormeaux faced the music and answered the media’s questions, although he really didn’t know much more than his mount was running on empty that day.

Dutrow, who had insisted the crack in the hoof was not an issue and that it was a foregone conclusion Big Brown would win the Triple Crown, was speechless.

Dutrow, though, might have changed the history of racing. He admitted earlier that Big Brown had run on steroids, which is legal in 28 states (no longer legal at Oaklawn Park ).

That brought a sudden and great scrutiny on the sport, and Sunday, Alex Waldrop, president and chief executive of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, said his organization would endorse a nationwide ban on the use of steroids in thoroughbreds.

The steroids will taint the great accomplishments of Big Brown, but the truth is, he was probably the best 3-year-old in the country until Saturday, when he was beaten, like the other horses, by a long shot that ran a brilliant race.