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Fans Eagerly Await An On-Time Delivery At Preakness

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Preakness favorite Big Brown sticks out his tongue as he is bathed following his morning workout at Pimlico Race Track in Baltimore, Maryland, Thursday, May 15, 2008.

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By SCOTT CARTER

The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 17, 2008

Updated: 05/17/2008 12:12 am

They'll pack Pimlico Race Course today the way they did two years ago, eagerly waiting to see if Kentucky Derby winner Big Brown can take the next step toward becoming a legend.

Entering the 2006 Preakness, Barbaro was labeled racing's next superhorse after galloping to a 61/2-length win two weeks earlier at Churchill Downs, the largest winning margin in the Derby in 60 years. We all know how Barbaro's tragic bid at history ended, shattered by a broken hind leg before the first turn at Pimlico.

Now, coming off an equally impressive performance at the Derby, Big Brown gets his shot at winning the second leg of the Triple Crown. Two weeks ago in Louisville, the Kentucky-bred colt trained by Rick Dutrow became only the second horse in history to win the Derby while breaking from the 20th post, joining 1929 winner Clyde Van Dusen.

Big Brown's powerful performance was overshadowed immediately after the race when runner-up Eight Belles, the only filly in the race, broke down and had to be euthanized on the track. Nevertheless, Big Brown's quest to become the first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed in 1978 once again takes center stage early this evening at Pimlico.
Dutrow is confident Big Brown has the talent to snap the 30-year drought.

"Right now, Big Brown has a chance of being great," Dutrow said.

Big Brown's story parallels that of Barbaro in several ways. Both Kentucky-bred colts arrived in Baltimore for the Preakness undefeated, Big Brown in four starts, and Barbaro in six. In his four previous races, Big Brown has won by an average of nearly 81/2 lengths. Barbaro won his first six races by an average of more than 41/2 lengths.

Also, in their final prep race before the Kentucky Derby, both won the Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park: Big Brown by 5 lengths over Smooth Air, and Barbaro, in the closest victory of his career, by a half-length over Sharp Humor.

More than anything, those in the racing community are seeking a storyline today much different from two years ago when Barbaro came up lame, or two weeks ago when Eight Belles fell to the ground.

"Racing could use a boost. You are always looking for that great horse," said Allison DeLuca, racing secretary at Tampa Bay Downs. "People love to see it in racing, and we just haven't had one in 30 years.

"Big Brown looks really impressive. He just puts horses away. You hope that it's going to hold up and he's going to do it again in the Preakness and in the Belmont. The way he won the Derby, I thought he won easy."

Since starting from the far outside and running away from Eight Belles down the stretch, winning by 43/4 lengths, Big Brown's stature has grown considerably. Prior to winning the Derby, he had raced only three times, making him the least-raced Derby winner since Regret in 1915.

He enters the Preakness as the overwhelming favorite at 1-2 in the 12-horse field. On Friday, the Todd Pletcher-trained Behindatthebar was scratched from the field with a foot bruise.

"The way Big Brown ran in the Derby, if he runs that performance, then it looks like very much a lot of us will be running for second," said Paddy Gallagher, trainer of Yankee Bravo.

The only horse in the field of 20 from the Derby competing in today's Preakness is Gayego, who placed 17th in Louisville.
Dutrow says Big Brown has looked sharp in workouts since the Derby, and that if there is a concern, it's how the bay colt will bounce back from the 14-day layoff, the shortest of his career.

Then again, Dutrow doesn't seem that worried.

"We have the best horse in the race, the fastest horse," Dutrow said. "If our horse can just get over the two-week thing and basically go out there and run the way he has been running, he's going to be a whole - he's going to be tough to beat."

As for all the Triple Crown talk, Dutrow isn't backing away from it as some might. He is embracing it, excited about the possibilities.

"It's just a dream that anyone would want to go live through," Dutrow said. "I see him still being in his game, his zone, that's where we need him, that's where he's at."

Reporter Scott Carter can be reached at (850) 294-3088 or scarter@tampatrib.com.

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