While Big Brown came close to taking the Triple Crown last year, with wins at the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, he failed to capture the Belmont Stakes meaning Affirmed still has the honor of being the last Triple Crown of American Thoroughbred horse racing.

Mine That Bird came from post No. 8 and at 50-1 odds to capture this year's Kentucky Derby but will the gelding be able to take the second leg of the Triple Crown? Maybe not.

The oddsmakers don't seem to like Mine That Bird's chances and neither do some observers.

"There are two chances of seeing a bid for the Triple Crown this year," says the Las Vegas Review-Journal's Richard Eng. "Slim and none."

There are other reasons as well.

When Mine That Bird came out of nowhere to win the Run for the Roses a few weeks ago, Calvin Borel was the jockey but that won't be the case come Saturday at Pimlico in Baltimore, Maryland where the Preakness is run.

Borel might've rode Mine That Bird at the Kentucky Derby but as the Baltimore Sun says, "Borel is also the jockey who made history this week by deciding to jump off the Derby winner and return to Rachel Alexandra's saddle, where he has been for her last five victories."

Mine That Bird will run from post No. 2 and is listed at +600 to come one step closer to capturing the Triple Crown while Rachel Alexandra, who will run from post No. 13, is the odds-on favorite to take the Preakness Stakes at +160.

The fact that Borel won't ride the very horse he rode to a Kentucky Derby is quite intriguing as it will be interesting to see which horse does better? Mine That Bird or Rachel Alexandra?

A number of sportsbooks are taking advantage, offering matchup props.

Pinnaclesports.com is one such book and it has Rachel Alexandra listed at -330 and Mine That Bird at +280 in matchup wagering.

Mine That Bird came first at Churchill Downs beating Pioneerof the Nile in this year's Kentucky Derby and at the Preakness, the horse shoe is on the other hoof, as Mine That Bird is listed as a +160 underdog in Preakness matchup betting while runner-up Pioneerof the Nile is favored at -180.

After the Preakness, the third and final race of the Triple Crown, the Belmont Stakes, goes Saturday, June 6, 2009 at Belmont Park in New York.