posted May 16, 2008 at 13:07 in Triple Crown Articles

The nation and online horse betting community has caught Big Brown fever. Big Brown provides new found hope of recovering lost enthusiasm of online horse wagering fans and naysayers around the country with having a shot at winning the Triple Crown, beginning on Saturday in the 134th running of the Preakness.

It would be awesome to witness Big Brown conquer the feat, though, what really matters most to the sports betting public is money and odds.

He will undoubtedly be an overwhelming favorite in Saturday's Preakness following a dominant victory in the Kentucky Derby. Post-time favorites have crossed the wire first in 68 of 133 running’s of the Preakness. That's strong numbers for Big Brown backers but not if you're looking for value.

The two shortest-priced horses in the middle jewel's history are Triple Crown winner Citation (1948) and Spectacular Bid (1979), who went off 1-10 and posted easy 5 1/2 -length wins. Chalk players were paid a whopping $2.20 for a $2 win ticket.

Smarty Jones was the last odds-on Preakness winner, paying $3.40 to win in 2004. A Big Brown victory on Saturday will result in similar payouts. Is he worth betting at an extremely short price? In my opinion, the answer is clearly no, only because BetUS horse wagering odds offer prop bets that will yield much larger profits.

The Kentucky Derby winner is priced at -170 to win the Triple Crown and +130 to continue the 30-year dry spell. It's difficult to root against history, but like in any online sports wagering event, betting with your heart will put you in an early crave. The smart money is on Big Brown to not win the sport's most sought after prize.

From Sir Barton in 1919 to Affirmed in 1978, thoroughbred racing has seen just eleven Triple Crown winners. If Big Brown is to become the 12th horse to claim the prestigious honors, he'll first have to overcome the sharp turns at the 1-mile loam oval track at Pimlico with questionable health to his heels that's prone to become burned due to friction of running. This has been a concern throughout his career, and just prior to the Derby, his heels were wrapped for the first time.

Big Brown also has to contend with Behindatthebar, who is coming off back-to-back wins, rallying from a 15-length deficit to capture the Lexington Stakes on April 19 at Keeneland in his most recent trip to the winner's circle. Behindatthebar did not run in the Derby because premier trainer Todd Pletcher opted to save him for the Preakness.

As well, Big Brown will have to fend off 17th-place Derby finisher Gayego, who's taking another run at him on Saturday. Gayego is the only horse returning from the Derby and he's very capable of having a much stronger finish than he posted on the first Saturday in May as the sixth betting choice.

Gayego's entry marks only the sixth time since 1918 that only two Derby starters moved on to Baltimore for the Preakness. The last time was in 1980 when Codex upset the Derby-winning Genuine Risk. Deja vu?

This will be the first time in Big Brown's career he'll be asked to run while coming off just two week's rest. The Preakness field is smaller but stronger compared to what ran in the Derby which features new shooters whose fresher, making them legitimate Triple Crown spoilers.

I'm not trying to take anything away from Big Brown because he's a proven, winning all four of his career starts in impressive fashion. But other than a huge amount of hope and optimism, I don't see him winning the Triple Crown. It hasn't happened in 30 years and there's no reason to think the trend will be broken.

Even if he wins the Preakness, he'll have to do it all over again in the Belmont on Saturday, June 7th as a leg-weary animal running at an even further distance. Sorry folks, but it's all about green, not brown!

Free Horse Picks: No - Big Brown doesn't win the Triple Crown at +130

Keep checking the Locker Room all through the Triple Crown season, as we will cover the trainers, horses and jockeys in each race. You can get your early Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Racetrack bets in now in the BetUS sportsbook in the Future / props section, under Horse Futures: 2008 Preakness Stakes.