Tonight at 6:17 PM EDT, Big Brown goes for the Triple Crown at the Belmont.

The horse who was expected to challenge him, Casino Drive, injured his hoof and won’t be racing, so Big Brown would seem to have a pretty clear path to the first Triple Crown in 30 years.

I’m not sure if I’ll be watching live or not; we’re going with Barb to Dixie Stampede at 4:00, and may not be back in time. But I’ll be TiVoing the race, and will try to enter a self-imposed news blackout (cell phone off, etc.) from 6:15 on, if I’m not in front of a TV yet. :)

Go Big Brown!!

UPDATE: Big Brown finished dead last after jockey Kent Desormeaux pulled him up during the stretch — he was running third at the time, though losing ground to eventual winner Da’ Tara — because Desormeaux believed something was wrong with Big Brown. “I had no horse,” Desormeaux said. “This horse is the best I’ve ever ridden. Something’s wrong, and I took care of him.”

Noted equine veterinarian Larry Bramlage appeared to disagree with the jockey’s snap judgment that something was wrong with Big Brown. “He looked fine during the race,” Dr. Bramlage said. “All I saw was when Desormeaux slowed him down. The veterinarian inspection team did not find anything wrong with him and he was not lame.”

Big Brown entered the race with a cracked hoof, but it was patched yesterday and trainers had been convinced the “very minor” injury would not affect him.

In any event, Da’ Tara, the longest shot in the field at 39-1, won by 5 1/2 lengths. Denis of Cork, my horse of choice in the Derby because of his Irish name and his Notre Dame connection, came in second. Anak Nakal and Ready’s Echo finished in a dead heat for third place.