Owner: IEAH Stable; Paul Pompa Jr.

Trainer: Richard Dutrow Jr.

Jockey: Kent Desormeaux

Earnings: $2,714,500

  • Will try to become the 12 th Triple Crown winner in racing history in the 140 th Belmont Stakes on Saturday, June 7, 2008. If he wins, he joins Sir Barton (1919), Gallant Fox (1930), Omaha (1935), War Admiral (1937), Whirlaway (1941), Count Fleet (1943), Assault (1946), Citation (1948), Secretariat (1973), Seattle Slew (19770, and Affirmed (1978).

  • Big Brown is undefeated in five career starts. Seattle Slew remains the only horse to win the Triple Crown while undefeated. Slew’s 1977 Belmont Stakes victory gave him a record of 9-0.

  • Should he lose the Belmont Stakes, Big Brown will become the 19 th horse to lose the Triple Crown in the “Test of the Champion,” the longest and oldest of the Triple Crown races.

  • A quarter crack recently surfaced on his left front hoof, and hoof specialist Ian McKinlay was quickly called in. By all reports, the hoof is healing well and should not be a factor in the Belmont Stakes. McKinlay also treated 1997 Belmont Stakes winner Touch Gold, who had hoof problems before his big race.

  • Won his debut race on the turf at Saratoga on September 3, 2007 for trainer Pat Reynolds. When Paul Pompa Jr. sold 75 percent interest in the colt to IEAH Stable, he was turned over to trainer Richard Dutrow Jr.

  • Because so much time had been lost because of Big Brown’s hoof problems, it was decided to start him on March 5, 2008 in a turf race at Gulfstream. When the race came off the turf, it was decided to run him anyway. “We were going to run in the Blue Grass anyway, figuring he would like the Polytrack,” Dutrow said. “But when he got to the quarter-pole, he changed. He was a freak!” Victories in the Florida Derby, Kentucky Derby and Preakness proved Dutrow right. “He is such a neat horse.” Dutrow said. “Everybody who has every come in contact with him loves him. He is laid back, but he also has talent. I have confidence in him because of who he is and how he has simply eliminated all of his competition.”

  • This is the second Belmont starter for Pompa, whose Watchmon finished ninth in 2005.

  • This will be the first Belmont starter for Dutrow.

  • Desormeaux has ridden in five Belmonts, finishing second in 1998 with Real Quiet in his failed bid for the Triple Crown and second in 2002 with Medaglia d’Oro.