By Brad Telias

updated 5:41 p.m. ET May 17, 2008

Big Brown, this year's Kentucky Derby winner, faces 12 probable challengers at Saturday's Preakness Stakes in Baltimore in his bid to become the first thoroughbred since Affirmed in 1978 to win horse racing's Triple Crown. Gayego, who finished 17th at Churchill Downs two weeks ago, is the only of Big Brown's defeated foes from the Derby to get another shot at him this weekend.

KENTUCKY BEAR has had only three career starts, all as a three-year old. But he's fresh and has been conditioned perfectly by Reade Baker for the Triple Crown's second leg. Coming off Keeneland's artificial ploytrack surface in the Blue Grass Stakes, where he finished a strong third after being bumped at the start, the speedy chestnut has worked extremely well in the mornings and figures to have the best shot at upsetting the heavy favorite.

BIG BROWN, who could go off as low as 1-5, which would be the shortest odds since Fusaichi Pegasus lost at 3-10 in 2000, appears likely to bounce and regress from an impressive performance in the Derby. The question remains whether after a move backwards, the colt will still be good enough to beat a less-than-stellar field.

BEHINDATTHEBAR's come-from-behind win in the Lexington Stakes at Churchill Downs two weeks before the Derby showed a style of running that is well suited to Pimlico and the mile-and-three-sixteenths distance. Trained by the skillful Todd Pletcher, the bay colt skipped the Derby and was aimed directly for this race.

MORE FROM PREAKNESS STAKES

Big Brown rolls in Preakness; Crown in sight

Big Brown rolls in Preakness; Crown in sight Desormeaux gets another shot at Triple Crown Big Brown to stand at stud at Three Chimneys Preakness winners through the years   Add Preakness Stakes headlines to your news reader: