(Monday, May 19) Big Brown racked up his fifth win in five career starts with an authoritative victory in the $1 million Preakness Stakes (G1) at Pimlico Race Course on Saturday.

Trained by Richard Dutrow and ridden to victory by Kent Desormeaux, the colt will now head to New York for the Belmont Stakes (G1), looking to become the first Triple Crown winner in thirty years.

On Saturday at PImlico, the colt found himself down along the inside in the early going. Desormeaux angled the colt five wide approaching the three quarters pole, started his move halfway around the far turn, took over heading for home, and accelerated away from his overmatched competition to win by 5 ¼ lengths.

Desormeaux looked back a couple of time and found no competition coming, and Big Brown was well in hand in the final 100 yards.

The colt returned $2.40 for a $2 wager and earned $600,000 for the win.

In an ironic twist, Desormeaux left the jockeys room without his whip and had to run back in to get it.

Turns out, he could have gone without it.

"I didn't think I needed it.  I decided -- that's not true," Desormeaux said. "I didn't forget my whip.  That's the valet's job.  The valet didn't bring it because I usually bring my own stick out.  He didn't have it.  I had started to walk out the to grab it from him.  He didn't have it.  I went right back in the room and found it where it's supposed to be."

Macho Again overcame being hung up in traffic on the far turn and finished well for the runner up spot at 39/1, completing a $36.60 exacta.

Icabad Crane made a mild late rally to complete the trifecta, which returned $336.80 on a $2 wager.

It is on to New York for the undefeated colt with a chance to become the first Triple Crown winner in thirty years.

A small field is lining up to take on Big Brown. Among those possible for the Belmont are Anak Nakal, Denis of Cork, Macho Again, Tale of Ekati, Tomcito, and Casino Drive.

Casino Drive is undefeated in two career starts. After a strong maiden win in Japan, the colt was shipped to the U.S. and took the Peter Pan Stakes (G2) at Belmont Park.

The colt is a half brother to the last two Belmont Stakes winners, Jazil (2006) and Rags to Riches (2007).

Dutrow does not seem fazed with the new competition he will see in New York.

On Casino Drive, Dutrow said, "Well, I would like to have him, number one.  He looks like a nice horse.  Number two, I believe that he can't beat our horse.  So all Japanese people are going to think when they come here that they thought Godzilla was dead.  They're going to find out he's not dead, he's here."

Dutrow has been extremely confident throughout the Triple Crown Trail and feels his colt will be ready to deliver another big performance in the Belmont.

"I'm not afraid of a mile and a half. I'm not afraid of five weeks, three races," Dutrow said. "The horse just keeps impressing-- anytime they asked him for anything, he's been way ahead of us.  He's waiting on us. So, I can't imagine we're going to screw anything up here.  We're going to go with the basic plan like we always have, nothing special.  If he's got the mile and a half in him, he'll get it.  If he wants to run back off this week in three weeks, I can't imagine there's going to be a problem."

Neither will the bettors, who figure to make Big Brown the heavy favorite again in three weeks.

Check out future Belmont Stakes odds at 's online racebook and see what the current Triple Crown odds are on Big Brown.

Weekly horse racing report is courtesy of Mike Dempsey at Turfnsport.com. Mike has been handicapping races for three decades and runs free horse handicapping contests from his site every week. His exclusive Pointspread.com article appears here Mondays or Tuesdays.