NEW YORK — Big Brown has had a patch applied to his cracked hoof a day before his bid for the Triple Crown.

Hoof specialist Ian McKinlay applied an acrylic and fiberglass patch to the cracked left front foot today. The work comes the day before the undefeated colt races in the Belmont Stakes.

McKinlay says the procedure was routine and Big Brown never even knew he was hurt. Big Brown is trying to become the first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed swept the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont in 1978.