Big Brown has Triple Crown in sights

Kentucky Derby hero Big Brown put up another superlative performance to land the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico.

Sent off a short-priced favourite for trainer Rick Dutrow and jockey Kent Desormeaux, Big Brown was barely troubled in the extended nine-furlong event.

Making his move on the turn for home, Big Brown put clear daylight between himself and runner-up Macho Again at the line.

Big Brown was sharply away from stall seven and Desormeaux took a pull to settle his mount against the rail in third as Gayego set the early pace.

Switching wide on the run down to the home turn, Desormeaux could not have been more confident, taking a couple of long looks behind him before kicking on at the top of the straight.

Big Brown responded in style, easily pulling clear of his toiling rivals to run out a thoroughly convincing winner of the second leg of the Triple Crown.

Big Brown will now try to become the first winner of all three Classics since Affirmed in 1978.

During that time six horses have claimed the first two legs of the series before falling short at Belmont but Dutrow is confident of his chances.

‘He just keeps on getting better. He just keeps showing everyone he's special,’ said the trainer.

‘He didn't get out on his belly.  He should have enough left (for the Belmont).’

Desormeaux added: ‘I asked him for a stride at the corner and it was almost deja vu to the Kentucky Derby.

‘I looked through my legs and under my arms, they were in sight, I stopped riding, reeled him in and just made sure he didn't pull up - he just kept picking his legs up and striding for the wire.

‘He should be fine (for the mile and a half in the Belmont).’

Big Brown finished five and a quarter lengths in front of Macho Again with Icabad Crane a further five and three-quarters of a length back in third.

The Boundary colt is now unbeaten in five starts and joined Majestic Prince (1969), Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew (1977) and Smarty Jones as unbeaten Derby winners who also won the Preakness.