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Maple Leafs sign 3 for $26.7 million
Big Brown, with jockey Kent Desormeaux up (R) leads Gabriel Saez, aboard Eight Belles, through the fourth turn en route to winning the 134th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 3, 2008 in Louisville, Kentucky. Philly Eight Belles, who finished second, was euthanized on the track due to a fatal injury. (UPI Photo/Frank Polich)
Big Brown passed Gayego and Riley Tucker at the top of the stretch and pulled away to remain unbeaten in five career races. Macho Again was second and Icabad Crane was third.
Big Brown, ridden by Kent Desormeaux, will have a chance to take the Triple Crown if he can win the Belmont Stakes in New York in three weeks. There have been 12 Triple Crown winners, with the last being Affirmed in 1978.
Big Brown's five straight career victories have been by a total of 39 lengths.
Rounding out the order of finish was Racecar Rhapsody, Stevil, Kentucky Bear, Hey Byrn, Giant Moon, Tres Borrachos, Yankee Bravo, Gayego and Riley Tucker. Behindatthebar was scratched Friday morning with a bruised front foot.
The Preakness win was worth $650,000 to increase the 3-year-old's earnings to more than $2.7 million. It was announced Saturday that Big Brown will stand at stud at Three Chimneys Farm in Kentucky when he is retired after this year.
Big Brown is the first horse since Smarty Jones in 2004 to win the first two races of the Triple Crown.