Big Brown draws middle of the pack
BALTIMORE – Running on the outside has been good to Big Brown. Now the Kentucky Derby winner gets to try things from the middle.
He was installed as the 1-2 early favorite for Saturday’s Preakness, and a victory could set up a Triple Crown try three weeks later in the Belmont Stakes.
A field of 13 3-year-olds was entered Wednesday, with Big Brown drawing the No. 7 post for the 1 3-16th-mile race at Pimlico.
Big Brown won the Derby from the No. 20 far outside post and he won the Florida Derby from the No. 12 post. Now, he’ll test himself under Kent Desormeaux from nearly the middle.
“He gets to save some ground for the first time,” co-owner Michael Iavarone said. “I don’t know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing. We’ll find out.”
Eleven winners have come from the No. 7 post, the last being Silver Charm in 1997. Silver Charm also won the Kentucky Derby but was outdueled in the stretch run of the Belmont by Touch Gold to lose his Triple Crown bid.
Big Brown is 4-0 in his career, having won by a combined total of more than 33 lengths. He was to arrive at Pimlico about two hours late Wednesday night from Louisville, Ky., where he has been stabled since his Derby win on May 3.
Trainer Rick Dutrow Jr. didn’t attend the draw since he was traveling on the plane with Big Brown. He has expressed concern about running Big Brown again so soon after his 4 3/4 -length victory in the Derby. It will be the colt’s shortest turnaround in his young career.
“We all know how hard it is to win the Kentucky Derby and come back in two weeks to win the Preakness,” Iavarone said.
The colt will try to join Majestic Prince (1969), Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew (1977) and Smarty Jones (2004) as undefeated Derby winners who also won the Preakness. Six of the past 11 Derby winners have gone on to take the Preakness.
Trainer Nick Zito, who won the 1996 Preakness with Louis Quatorze, was surprised to see 12 challengers line up against Big Brown.
“There is something about a Triple Crown race. I didn’t think there would be that many horses after Big Brown’s performance (in the Derby),” he said.
Ken McPeek trains Racecar Rhapsody, a 30-1 shot ridden by Robby Albarado.
“Other than Big Brown, it looks like the race is wide open,” he said. “We all know that anything can happen. You can’t have any fear. It’s good for him to be tested again. If he’s going to be a Triple Crown winner, then make him work for it.”
Gayego was made the 8-1 second choice and will break from the No. 12 post under Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith. The Arkansas Derby winner is the only Derby starter to take on Big Brown again. Gayego started in the second from the outside post in the Derby and finished 17th, beaten by 36 3/4 lengths.