Big Brown Horse

Big Brown's Triple Crown run has hit a snag, although it's deemed a small one at this time. It was learned Sunday that the Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner has a slight crack on the inside of his left front hoof. He has already missed two days of training and will miss at least several more while being treated by specialist Ian MacKinlay for what is commonly referred to as a "quarter crack," which is a vertical crack in the hoof wall. This crack is five-eighths of an inch long.

NEW YORK -- In horse racing -- and life in general, for that matter -- there is rarely a foregone conclusion. That was proved once again when, despite trainer Rick Dutrow Jr.'s confident proclamations, Big Brown not only lost his bid to become horse racing's first Triple Crown winner in 30 years, he finished last in Saturday's Belmont Stakes after being pulled up by jockey Kent Desormeaux coming around the far turn.

Hold your horses, folks. Curlin versus Big Brown isn't going to happen. Monday was supposed to bring news and drama in horse racing. Little did we know. On a day when the final hurdle seemed to be cleared for the long-awaited showdown here, there was an unexpected stumble in an unexpected place.

ELMONT, N.Y. -- It didn't happen, big time. Big Brown not only failed to win the Triple Crown, he finished ninth and last in Saturday's Belmont Stakes. Trying to become horse racing's first Triple Crown winner in 30 years, Big Brown instead became just another horse to win the first two legs, the Kentucky Derby and Preakness, then lose in the third, the Belmont. The count is now up to 11 horses that have done that since Affirmed was the last to win the Triple Crown in 1978.