Big Brown gallops on recovering hoof

ELMONT, N.Y., May 28 (UPI) -- Big Brown, with two Triple Crown wins in the bag, galloped Wednesday around Belmont Park to check the horse's recovery from a cracked hoof.

Hoof specialist Ian McKinlay sutured the quarter-crack in the left front hoof of Big Brown. The horse was taken in a 1 1/2-mile jog Tuesday and galloped 1 1/8 miles on Wednesday.

"Ian is excited about this," said Big Brown's trainer Rick Dutrow Jr. "He's not going to let anything get away from us. He'll be around. I think he looks better now than he did for the Preakness."

If Big Brown wins the Belmont Stakes on June 7, he would be the first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed in 1978.

Big Brown is undefeated in five career starts, having piled up $2.7 million in winnings. The Belmont has a purse of $1 million but winning the Triple Crown is worth a $5 million bonus.