| Newsday, Melville, N.Y. ELMONT, N.Y. -- Hoof lameness specialist Ian McKinlay changed plans and chose not to apply an acrylic and fiberglass patch to Big Brown's healing left front foot Monday morning. Instead, he will do it Friday, the day before the undefeated colt will go for the Triple Crown in the Belmont Stakes. SAVE MONEY ON TRAVEL DEALS McKinlay said waiting four extra days would give the five-eighths of an inch quarter crack more time to heal naturally. "The only reason for that is to let it dry up as much as possible", he said near Barn 2 on Belmont Park's backstretch, where Big Brown has spent the past two weeks in stall 8. "This is just a slight, slight crack. We're being extra cautious because he's going for the Triple Crown. It's coming along well, and everything is on schedule. As the clock ticks, it's getting better and better." Before McKinlay puts the protective patch on the vertical crack, he'll remove the stainless steel sutures he put in Saturday, clean out the area, re-drill the holes and replace the sutures. If necessary, he'll put in a drain to let any fluid out, then cover everything up with acrylic adhesive that takes five minutes to set. Big Brown's only workout for the Belmont remained on for Tuesday morning, although the time was up in the air as of Monday. The colt has been doing most of his exercise after 8:30, when the main track reopens for the second set of workouts after the break for harrowing. Trainer Rick Dutrow believes the deep surface is at its best then, but a New York Racing Association release said the colt could go out earlier Tuesday. On Saturday, Dutrow said Big Brown would breeze 5 furlongs and gallop out another eighth of a mile. The 3-year-old superstar galloped again Monday for exercise rider Michelle Nevin, and Dutrow said, "He's moving as good as he ever has." Afterward, the colt pricked his ears while posing for photographers before his daily bath. Big Brown appears to love the attention, and Dutrow and Nevin agree that the colt knows he's a celebrity. During Derby week, Dutrow said, "He likes to hear the cameras click", and that hasn't changed. Notes and quotes: Denis of Cork breezed 4 furlongs in 48.60 seconds for jockey Robby Albarado Monday at Churchill Downs ... Icabad Crane breezed 4 furlongs in 48.60 over the all-weather surface at Fair Hill Training Center in Maryland ... Anak Nakal went 4 furlongs in 49.67 seconds over the Oklahoma training track at Saratoga ... For the first time, ABC will show the Breeders' Cup live. The network announced it will provide coverage from 1-3:30 pm EDT Saturday, Oct. 25, at Santa Anita before its cable partner ESPN takes over from 3:30-7.
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