Running on the outside has been very good to Big Brown. Now the Kentucky Derby winner gets to try things from the middle.
He drew the No. 7 post position in a field of 13 horses and was installed as the early 1-2 favorite for the 1 3/16 -mile Preakness Saturday.
Big Brown won the Derby from the No. 20 far outside post position. He won the Florida Derby from the No. 12 post position.
“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.”
Big Brown is 4-0 in his career, having won by a combined total of more than 33 lengths. He arrived at Pimlico Wednesday night from Louisville, Ky.
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.
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. (Odds chart on D8.)
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