ELMONT, N.Y. — Hoof specialist Ian McKinlay repaired Big Brown’s quarter crack in a 10-minute procedure Monday, and trainer Rick Dutrow and co-owner Michael Iavarone expressed confidence that the undefeated colt would run June 7 in the Belmont Stakes.
McKinlay put two stainless steel wires across the 5/8-inch vertical crack at the back of Big Brown’s left front foot. Then he drew the crack together and stitched it up. He said the horse limped for a few steps — as Dutrow said, “Ouch, ouch, ouch” — then was fine.
A quarter crack is a vertical crack in the hoof wall between the toe and heel of the hoof, usually extending into the coronary band, where the hoof meets the skin of the leg.
McKinlay compared a quarter crack to a person splitting a finger nail that goes up through the cuticle.
“You know how sensitive it is up by the cuticle,” he said.
Big Brown will not go to the track today, Dutrow said. But if the crack is healing properly, exercise rider Michelle Nevin could walk him around the inside of the barn. McKinlay will next examine Big Brown on Wednesday, when he would likely clean out the area, replace the stitch to just “snug up the crack” and then cover it with adhesive.
The next step would be to place a fiberglass reinforced patch on the crack, “one that is probably stronger than the hoof wall.” McKinlay said. “Basically we’ve done what we can right now. It might be 48 hours before we see the full result of stabilizing the quarter.”
McKinlay said there “definitely” was no infection.
“My guess is that he’ll be back (on the track) Thursday,” he said, “but maybe we’ll push it back until Friday.”
Dutrow said this minor injury would not stop Big Brown from being at his best for the Belmont.
“It scares you when something like this happens, but it has nothing to do with his ability to finish what he started,” he said. “It’s just a little thing. The time he’s missed means nothing to me or to him. No way missing six or seven days is going to affect the outcome.”
The quarter crack was first spotted Friday by a groom in Dutrow’s barn, and the trainer immediately called McKinlay, who treated two much more serious front foot problems Big Brown endured last year and early this year.
“Those were major obstacles,” McKinlay said. “We are not in that realm at all. This is actually very minor. By (today), we will know right where we are.”
Divine Park rallies to win Metropolitan Handicap
ELMONT, N.Y. — Divine Park rallied to beat even-money favorite Commentator by 2 lengths in the $600,000 Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park.
Divine Park, an improving 4-year-old with Alan Garcia aboard, won for the sixth time in eight races.
Commentator, bidding for a third straight victory, took the early lead and set a very fast pace in the 115th running of the traditional Memorial Day feature. Commentator turned back a stiff challenge from First Defense turning for home but could not hold off Divine Park, who came rolling down the center of the track. Lord Snowdon finished third.
