Big Brown challenger Behindatthebar out of Preakness

He is the early 1-2 favorite to win this 1 3/16th-mile race and even money to also win the Belmont Stakes on June 7 and become horse racing's first Triple Crown winner in 30 years.

Big Brown's chances got even stronger Friday when one of his legitimate challengers, Behindatthebar, was scratched because of a bruise on the inside of his left hoof. Trainer Todd Pletcher noticed it during a morning gallop.

Behindatthebar was supposed to start from post position No. 5. So Big Brown will now start from the No. 6 hole instead of No. 7 in a field of 12.

That doesn't change the consensus among the experts who are picking the Kentucky Derby winner to win the Preakness. The track is expected to be fast under partly cloudy conditions after it rained Friday, and Big Brown is expected to breeze his way to his fifth victory in five races and take home the $600,000 first prize.

However, Big Brown's jockey, Kent Desormeaux, offered a couple of reminders that anything can happen.

In 2000, he rode favored Fusaichi Pegasus to victory in the Derby. It was the first time the favorite had won a Derby since Spectacular Bid in 1979. Then Fusaichi Pegasus went into the Preakness as a 1-5 favorite -- and got beat by Red Bullet, who ran the race of his life.

"We went from the third-fastest Derby to the third-fastest Preakness and got beat," Desormeaux said.

Two years earlier, Desormeaux was on Derby and Preakness winner Real Quiet in the Belmont and was confident of a Triple Crown as they approached the finish line.

"I knew I was the winner," Desormeaux said. "Real Quiet pulled himself up. He never saw Victory Gallop."

Victory Gallop won by a nose. "Victory Gallop was not in front of him except that last stride," Desormeaux said.

Despite those cautionary tales, just about everything points to a Big Brown victory. Possibly having the best shot at an upset is Gayego, the only other Derby starter in the Preakness. Gayego, 17th in the Derby after a troubled start, is the 8-1 early second choice here.

Big Brown, however, doesn't come into the Preakness without some baggage, courtesy of trainer Dick Dutrow Jr. He's a charming man and obviously a good trainer, but there's a checkered past.

Although he readily admits to his own drug use of years ago, of concern now is his use of drugs on horses.