Big Brown Wins Preakness

Twice, jockey Kent Desormeaux snuck a look behind him to see if anyone was gaining on Big Brown. His horse ran away with the Preakness on Saturday and now is pointed squarely down the path toward the Triple Crown. The 3-year-old with the perfect record heads for the Belmont Stakes in three weeks as the fourth horse this decade to try for the triple, a sweep last accomplished by Affirmed in 1978. The last to try was Smarty Jones in 2004.
Trainer Rick Dutrow Jr., who called his shot at both the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness, sounded confident after Big Brown came back full of run after easily putting away the field of 11.
“I know we have horse left. There is no question,” Dutrow said. “He’s just shown up every step, every way,” he added. “I just can’t imagine him not showing up for the Belmont.”
As he did two weeks ago in a Kentucky Derby tainted darkly by the tragedy with Eight Belles, Big Brown delivered another stunning win, this time by 5 1/4 lengths. Macho Again was second and Icabad Crane was third.