Big Brown Wins Preakness

All eyes were on Big Brown when the 12-horse field runs in the Preakness Stakes on Saturday, and he didn't disappoint.

The Kentucky Derby winner pulled ahead in the final leg of the Preakness Saturday to take one more stride toward the Triple Crown.

Big Brown finished five-and-a-quarter lengths ahead of Macho Again. Icabad Crane was third.

Big Brown broke from the middle of an undistinguished 12-horse pack and jockey Kent Desormeaux took him off the pace. They ran third down the backstretch before roaring around the final turn and pulling away from the field.

Big Brown joins Majestic Prince, Seattle Slew and Smarty Jones as undefeated Derby and Preakness winners. Only Seattle Slew went on to capture the Triple Crown. He did it in 1977, one year before the last Triple Crown winner, Affirmed.

Big Brown gets his chance in three weeks, at the Belmont Stakes in New York.

Big Brown, a 1-2 pre-race favorite, started Saturday's race from the No. 6 post. He originally drew the No. 7 post, but after Behindatthebar's withdrawal on Friday, all of the horses outside of the No. 5 post -- where Behindatthebar was supposed to start from -- moved inside one post.

From 2002 to 2004, the Kentucky Derby winner also won the Preakness Stakes, as War Emblem, Funny Cide and Smarty Jones all recorded the double feats. But the Derby winner has struggled in recent years at Pimlico. In 2006, Barbaro -- who was thought to be a Triple-Crown threat -- broke down at the start of the Preakness. After undergoing surgery and a long recovery, the colt was euthanized eight months later when he developed laminitis. Last year, Derby winner Street Sense was defeated by Curlin.

Big Brown entered the Preakness an unbeaten 4-0.