Sports Blog News

Big Brown will try and become the first horse since Affirmed in 1978 to win Thoroughbred racing’s Triple Crown in the Belmont Stakes on June 7 in New York.

Big Brown, trying to become the first horse to sweep the US flat racing Triple Crown in 30 years, arrived here Monday at Belmont Park to begin preparations for next month’s Belmont Stakes.

The Kentucky Derby champion won the Preakness last Saturday to claim the first second jewel in the treble and will try to become the first horse since Affirmed in 1978 to sweep the series at the Belmont Stakes on June 7.

Belmont offers the longest challenge of the Triple Crown at 1 1/2 miles but trainer Richard Dutrow, who predicted Big Brown’s two wins this month, was confident Monday his horse was ready for the test.

Big Brown, who could become the 12th Triple Crown champion, has won his five career races by an average of nearly eight lengths.

In the 30 years sinced Affirmed’s treble, 10 horses have won both the Derby and Preakness but were beaten at Belmont, the most recent of those being Smarty Jones in 2004.