ELMONT, N.Y. - Edgar Prado is really a nice guy, but when it comes to the Triple Crown, the bad boy in him tends to come out.

Twice in a three-year period, Prado won the Belmont Stakes, and in each instance those victories denied a horse the opportunity to win the Triple Crown. In 2002, Prado guided 70-1 shot Sarava to victory in the Belmont when War Emblem was going for the Triple Crown. In 2004, Prado was aboard 36-1 shot Birdstone, who ran past the previously undefeated Smarty Jones in the stretch to deny that Triple Crown bid before a record crowd of 120,139.

ELMONT, N.Y. - If Big Brown's training session Wednesday morning was any indication, the quarter crack he suffered to his left front foot last week may turn out to be much ado about nothing.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Edgar Prado was officially named to ride Casino Drive in the June 7 Belmont Stakes, the colt's connections announced Wednesday afternoon.

Prado, who earlier this year was voted into racing's Hall of Fame, has twice won the Belmont, in both instances stopping Triple Crown bids. In 2002, Prado rode 70-1 Sarava to victory as the longest shot ever to win the race, defeating 6-5 favorite War Emblem. In 2004, Prado guided Birdstone to a 36-1 upset of previously undefeated and 3-5 favorite Smarty Jones.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Big Brown galloped 1 1/8 miles around Belmont Park's main track Wednesday morning, his most strenuous exercise since being diagnosed with a quarter crack in his left front foot last Friday.

Big Brown is preparing for a start in the June 7 Belmont Stakes, where he will attempt to become Thoroughbred racing's 12th Triple Crown winner.

In an apparent indication that a quarter crack injury to his left front hoof is responding well to treatment so far, Big Brown, the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner, went back to the track for a jog at Belmont Park on Tuesday, at least one day earlier than expected.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Big Brown suffered a slight quarter crack on the inside part of his left front foot, but his connections are confident it will not affect his ability to run in the June 7 Belmont Stakes where he will attempt to become Thoroughbred racing’s 12th Triple Crown winner.

Macho Again, the runner-up behind Big Brown in the Preakness, will be ridden by Garrett Gomez in the June 7 Belmont Stakes, it was announced Saturday by the colt’s owners, the West Point Thoroughbreds syndicate.

Gomez, the Eclipse Award-winning jockey of 2007, will replace Julien Leparoux, who had ridden Macho Again in four of his last five races, including the Preakness.

“Julien has done a great job with him,” said trainer Dallas Stewart, adding the decision to change was “based more on a home-court advantage for the rider.”

Sunday Silence vs. Easy Goer. Real Quiet vs. Victory Gallop. Alysheba vs. Bet Twice. Some of the most compelling Triple Crown chases in the past three decades were classic East vs. West confrontations, the best being the last time the Triple Crown was swept, 30 years ago, when Affirmed beat Alydar in three straight thrillers.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Between the racetrack and the farm, trainer Richard Dutrow Jr. estimates he has about 175 horses in his care. But for the last month and a half, and definitely for the next 2 1/2 weeks, Dutrow's primary focus has been and will be on one.

The roles have reversed this year for trainer Barclay Tagg and his assistant, Robin Smullen, going from the hunted to the hunters. In 2003, they tried to sweep the Triple Crown with Funny Cide, but were denied in the Belmont Stakes by Empire Maker, who had finished second to Funny Cide in the Kentucky Derby, skipped the Preakness, and came into the Belmont fresh, fit, and dangerous.