Monmouth Stakes (2008)

Big Brown (foaled April 10, 2005 in Kentucky) is a retired Champion American Thoroughbred racehorse and winner of the 2008 Kentucky Derby and 2008 Preakness Stakes. Bred by Dr. Gary B. Knapp's Monticule Farms in Lexington, Kentucky, he won his first five career starts. He was sired by Grade III winner Boundary, a son of North American Champion sire Danzig, a son of Northern Dancer. Big Brown's dam was Mien, also a granddaughter of Northern Dancer through her sire, Nureyev.

Big Brown, named by his owner in honor of UPS, was purchased by Brooklyn, New York trucking company owner Paul Pompa, Jr. for $190,000 at the Keeneland Sales 2007 April Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale. Pompa turned him over to trainer Patrick Reynolds for race conditioning. Ridden by Jeremy Rose, the colt made his two-year-old racing debut on September 3, 2007 at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York, running away from the field and winning by 11+1⁄4 lengths. Pompa then sold an interest in Big Brown to IEAH Stables, a subsidiary of International Equine Acquisitions Holdings, Inc., whose stated purpose is to create and manage an Equity Horse Fund, which will operate as a hedge fund. The new partnership sent the horse to the Palm Meadows Thoroughbred Training Center in South Florida under the care of new trainer, Rick Dutrow.