American Triple Crown seeker Big Brown in injury scare Big Brown, who is in line for the American Triple Crown following wins in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, has been reported to have sustained a quarter crack to the inside wall of his near-fore, but it is described as "slight". "The horse is in nodiscomfort ? he doesn´t know anything is wrong," said his trainer Rick Dutrow. "He is trying to figure out why he is not going to the track and he has been tough to walk. Missing a few days of training is not going to hurt us at all. "If I can work him on Tuesday before the Belmont, that would be perfect. Or even Wednesday would be good." Hoof lameness expert Ian McKinlay said: "The injury is nothing remotely close to the two foot injuries he had last fall and winter. "Those were wall separations and were very tender. This is just a straight quarter crack that will pretty much heal by itself." Dutrow said he noticed a small spot at the place of the quarter crack on Friday and broughtin McKinlay to treat the area. By the following day the quarter crack appeared, measuring about five-eighths of an inch. McKinlay said he would "lace it up" and if all goes well the horse could return to full training by Thursday. "I´ve known Ian for years," said Dutrow. "He worked for my father, and he gives me a lot of confidence. Ian doesn´t sugarcoat anything, and if he says this is nothing, that´s good enough for me." Severe hoof problems kept Big Brown off the track for the entire month of January when he was training in Florida.
