Big Brown charged to the lead turning for home and then cruised down the stretch to win the Preakness on Saturday, still perfect and squarely pointed toward thoroughbred racing's first Triple Crown in 30 years.
Just as he did two weeks ago in a Kentucky Derby marred by the breakdown of Eight Belles, the colt named for UPS delivered another stunning win, this time by 5 1/4 lengths. Macho Again was second and Icabad Crane was third.
Big Brown broke from the middle of an undistinguished pack and jockey Kent Desormeaux took him off the pace. They ran third down the backstretch before roaring around the final turn and pulled away from the field.
"It was almost like the Kentucky Derby. He just set sail," Desormeaux said.
In the Derby, Big Brown started on the far outside of 19 horses and used an explosive finishing kick to win by 4 3/4 lengths, the tightest margin in his 5-0 career.
The bay colt joined Majestic Prince (1969), Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew (1977) and Smarty Jones (2004) as undefeated Derby and Preakness winners.
"He just keeps on getting better," trainer Rick Dutrow Jr. said.
Big Brown is the first 3-year-old since Smarty Jones to head for the Belmont Stakes with a triple try in play. The final leg of the Triple Crown will be raced Saturday, June 7. It's been 30 years since Affirmed swept the Derby, Preakness and Belmont to give racing its 11th Triple Crown winner.
Desormeaux didn't even need the whip in the stretch; he simply crossed the reins to let Big Brown know it was time to take off. At various points, Desormeaux ducked his head under his right arm to check on the fading competition. There was no need. Big Brown was in total control.
"I looked between my legs, under my arms, they were eight back," he said. "I just stopped riding, reeled him in and just made sure he didn't pull up. He just kept kicking his legs up and striding for the wire."
The victory put the sport's focus back on racing after two weeks of frenzied debate about safety and breeding following Eight Belles' catastrophic breakdown. His dominating performance came in front of a crowd that surely breathed easier after all 12 runners returned safely. On the same track just two years ago, Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro broke down early in the race.
The Preakness win also means Big Brown's connections _ Dutrow, Desormeaux and principal owners Michael Iavarone and Richard Schiavo who once worked on Wall Street _ are headed back to their New York base with a horse that could make history.
Big Brown again backed up Dutrow's boast that the Preakness was his race to lose and if the colt broke out of the starting gate cleanly, he would win.
