LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The jockey drama involving Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird will come to a merciful end no later than Monday, said trainer Chip Woolley, adding that his request for a firm answer from Calvin Borel by that time "is fair enough."

Mine That Bird is the little horse that could. He just keeps chugging along, surprising everyone and making new fans every day with his remarkable resiliency. Even though he won the Kentucky Derby, took a long, 10-hour haul to Baltimore, ran second in the Preakness two weeks later, then took that same long haul in reverse on Monday, Mine That Bird was back on the track at Churchill Downs on Tuesday, jogging one mile as he took his first steps toward a start in the Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park on June 6.

The historic victory by the filly Rachel Alexandra over Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird in the Preakness Stakes on Saturday at Pimlico means that there will be no Triple Crown by a horse this year, but there are two scenarios pertaining to the June 6 Belmont Stakes that could put Calvin Borel in position to make a little history of his own, because no jockey has ever swept the Triple Crown series in the same calendar year on two different horses.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Trainer Richard Dutrow Jr. was still searching for answers Monday morning as to what went wrong with Big Brown, who on Saturday became the first horse attempting to sweep the Triple Crown to finish last in the Belmont Stakes.

ELMONT, N.Y. - A crowd of 94,476 came to Belmont Park on Saturday to see a Triple Crown coronation in the 140th Belmont Stakes, but all Big Brown left them with was a frown.

In a result that was simply startling, Big Brown, the winner of the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes who was unbeaten in five previous starts, faded after a mile, was eased through the stretch by jockey Kent Desormeaux, and finished last of nine as the 1-4 favorite.

ELMONT, N.Y. - The day after Big Brown’s stunning last-place finish in the Belmont Stakes, those associated with the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner could offer no concrete excuses for the first loss of his career.

Michael Iavarone, the co-president of the IEAH Stables syndicate that is a co-owner of Big Brown, said Big Brown was physically healthy on Sunday morning.

ELMONT, N.Y - For five weeks, trainer Richard Dutrow Jr. had all the answers. On a steamy Saturday afternoon after Big Brown was pulled up with a quarter mile left to run in Saturday's Belmont Stakes, Dutrow had none.

Dutrow didn't speak to reporters for nearly 50 minutes after the race, and when he did, he couldn't explain what went wrong with his Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner, who failed to finish the Belmont, ending his quest to become Thoroughbred racing's 12th Triple Crown winner.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Big Brown was the 1-5 favorite as the end of advance wagering on the 140th Belmont Stakes neared Friday evening. As of 6:45 p.m. Eastern, and with only $20,285 having been reported in the ontrack win pool at Belmont Park, Big Brown was the huge choice over Casino Drive (9-2), Denis of Cork (19-1), and Tale of Ekati (20-1).

Advance wagers from offtrack sites had not yet been merged into the Belmont pool, according to the track's totalisator department, and therefore a true representation of the odds might not have been revealed yet.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Big Brown had an acrylic patch, to protect a quarter crack, put on the inside of his left front hoof shortly after noon Friday at Belmont Park by foot specialist Ian McKinlay, who said the procedure "was very routine."

Big Brown, the winner of the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, is to attempt a sweep of the Triple Crown on Saturday in the Belmont Stakes. He developed the quarter crack after his victory three weeks ago in the Preakness.

McKinlay said the procedure took about a half-hour.