Big Brown and Preakness Stakes Top Contenders

by Bodog Sportsbook | May 13 2008

After Big Brown’s dominating victory in the 2008 Kentucky Derby, he now has all of the pressure and expectations placed firmly on his 3-year-old haunches. While “The Run for the Black-Eyed Susans” may not have quite the celebrity cache of the julep-soaked Kentucky Derby, it has always proven to be every bit as dramatic as the first leg of the Triple Crown races.



The Second Leg
So, before you pick your winner at the Bodog Racebook, in no particular order, here’s a look at some of the top contenders for the 2008 Preakness Stakes…

Preakness Stakes Contenders

Big Brown
Trainer: Richard Dutrow Jr.
The least experienced horse in this year’s Derby got an early lead and didn’t look back. After that dominating performance, lots of people are predicting that Big Brown will be the next Triple Crown winner. One thing is for certain this year: He’s the only horse with a chance.

Yankee Bravo
Trainer: Patrick Gallagher
This 3-year-old colt won the California Derby in January, but could not compete in the Kentucky Derby due to insufficient graded stakes earnings. He was pulled back and has been focusing on the Preakness Stakes.

Icabad Crane
Trainer: Graham Motion
Winning his last start at the Federico Tesio Stakes, this colt will look to entertain fans once again by trying to win the 2008 Preakness Stakes.

Riley Tucker
Trainer: Bill Mott
Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott has a lot emotionally invested in this horse as it’s named after Mott’s own son. The horse made his 2008 debut in the Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn where he finished sixth, and he’s been steadily improving ever since.

Giant Moon
Trainer: Richard Schosberg
At one time this colt owned a number of consecutive wins, and has joined the rest of the Preakness field looking to take down favorite Big Brown.

Behindatthebar
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Here’s another one of the horses coming into the Preakness with fresh legs from skipping the Kentucky Derby. While qualifying for the Kentucky Derby in graded stakes earnings, Behindatthebar’s team opted not to run and instead prepare solely for the Preakness. This should give them an advantage in trying to derail Big Brown’s quest for Triple Crown glory.

Tres Borrachos
Trainer: Beau Greely
By now, we all know his name translates to “Three Drunks.” As amusing as that is, this horse will have to get serious and flat out run if he wants to give himself a chance to beat Big Brown, let alone the rest of this year’s Preakness field.

Stevil
Trainer: Nick Zito
Zito won the Preakness back in 1996 running with Louis Quartorze. His race for another victory in the Preakness will fall on Stevil, who didn’t quite earn enough graded stakes earnings to qualify for this year’s Kentucky Derby.

Kentucky Bear
Trainer: Reade Baker
Breaking his maiden, this chestnut colt made his debut in January at Gulfstream Park. Since then he has placed seventh and third and is now looking to go up against Big Brown in the 2008 Preakness Stakes.

Hey Byrn
Trainer: Eddie Plesa
This bay colt won an allowance race in his debut at Gulfstream Park by 14½ lengths. Joining the “beat Big Brown” field for the 2008 Preakness Stakes, Hey Byrn’s team hopes to capitalize on his rested legs as well as the momentum from a win at the Holy Bull Stakes in his last start.

Don’t miss out on any of the 2008 Preakness Stakes action. Can Big Brown win it and put himself into position to be the next Triple Crown winner? Or will another horse emerge from the Preakness Stakes field to win the prestigious second leg of the 2008 Triple Crown? Check out the Preakness Stakes rankings and then be sure to bet on the 2008 Preakness Stakes at the Bodog Racebook.