Big Brown ’s championship campaign in 2008 was predominantly about his long list of accomplishments, several which were history-making and unlikely to be duplicated for a long time.
--He won the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) in only his fourth career start, the first to do so since Regret in 1915.
--He became the first horse since the advent of the starting gate to win the Kentucky Derby from post 20.
--His Ragozin and Thoro-Graph speed figures in the Derby were the fastest ever recorded. And that was coming off the fourth fastest final Derby prep ever. While the three horses who ran as fast or faster regressed in the Derby, Big Brown actually moved forward and ran a bigger number at Churchill Downs.
--He became only the fourth undefeated horse in history to win the Kentucky Derby and Preakness (gr. I).
--In the Florida Derby (gr. I), he was the first horse to win from as far out as post 12 since the reconfiguration of the racetrack.
--His five-length winning margin in the Florida Derby was the fourth largest in the 56-year history of the race.
--His 5 1/4-length margin in the Preakness, while under wraps in the final furlong, was the fourth largest in nearly 30 years,
--Of his six victories in 2008, four were in grade I stakes and one was on the grass, defeating older grade II-winning turf specialists.
--Despite winning the Monmouth Stakes by a neck, his average margin of victory in 2008 still was five lengths.