BALTIMORE (AP) -- Big Brown kept his Triple Crown chance alive with an impressive victory in the Preakness Stakes. The Kentucky Derby winner finished five-and-a-quarter lengths ahead of Macho Again. Icabad Crane was third.

Big Brown broke from the middle of an undistinguished 12-horse pack and jockey Kent Desormeaux took him off the pace. They ran third down the backstretch before roaring around the final turn and pulling away from the field.

Big Brown joins Majestic Prince, Seattle Slew and Smarty Jones as undefeated Derby and Preakness winners. Only Seattle Slew went on to capture the Triple Crown. He did it in 1977, one year before the last Triple Crown winner, Affirmed.

Big Brown gets his chance in three weeks, at the Belmont Stakes in New York.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)