Crack in Big Brown's hoof repaired

The crack in Triple Crown hopeful Big Brown's left front foot is on the mend, and the colt could be on the track by tomorrow to resume training for the Belmont Stakes June 7. Hoof specialist Ian McKinlay opened the slight quarter crack yesterday and inserted stainless steel wire stitches to draw the crack together. The 10-minute procedure at Belmont Park went smoothly, McKinlay said, and Big Brown was walked around the barn and returned to his stall, where he has been since the injury was discovered Friday. McKinlay and trainer Rick Dutrow Jr. were optimistic Big Brown will stay on course in his attempt to become the first Triple Crown champion since Affirmed in 1978.

Willie Randolph remains manager of the New York Mets after a much-anticipated meeting with team ownership that lasted nearly two hours. Randolph sat down with owner Fred Wilpon and his son, Jeff, the club's chief operating officer, as well as general manager Omar Minaya to discuss two things in particular: the team's sluggish play, and Randolph's comments last week about his portrayal on Mets broadcasts in which he raised the issue of race. "Willie has my support. He has the support of our ownership," Minaya said. "Willie's job was never in danger going into this meeting." Randolph's contract runs through the 2009 season.

The Yankees' Jorge Posada caught five innings and went 0 for 5 with a walk in his first extended spring training game in Tampa. The five-time All-Star has been sidelined since April 27 because of a sore throwing shoulder. Posada hopes to rejoin the Yankees June 3 . . . Former major leaguer Luis Gonzalez was suspended for one year by Japanese baseball for failing a drug test. Gonzalez, an infielder with the Yomiuri Giants who played with the Colorado Rockies from 2004-06, tested positive for amphetamines . . . Rangers third baseman Hank Blalock, who has been taking medication for carpal tunnel syndrome in his right wrist, will return to Texas for an examination today. He will miss the three-game series at Tampa Bay, and won't resume swinging a bat for at least a couple days. Blalock has been on the 15-day disabled list with a left hamstring injury since April 29 . . . The Reds said they will recall outfield prospect Jay Bruce before tonight's game against the Pirates. Bruce, 21, is hitting .364 with 10 home runs and 37 RBIs in 49 games at Triple A Louisville . . . Richie Hebner, a Norwood native who played 18 seasons in the majors, was named manager of the Frederick Keys, the Orioles' Single A affiliate in the Carolina League. Hebner, 60, was the hitting coach for the Nashua Pride of the Can-Am League . . . No. 1-ranked Miami was selected as the top seed for the 64-team Division 1 college tournament, while two-time defending champion Oregon State was left out of the field. No New England teams made the field.

Tennessee Titans quarterback Vince Young told NFL.com that he considered retirement after his rookie season. "I really thought long and hard about it," Young said in a story posted yesterday. "There was so much going on with my family. It was crazy being an NFL quarterback. It wasn't fun anymore. All of the fun was out of it. All of the excitement was gone. All I was doing was worrying about things. My teammates helped lift me out of it. I prayed really hard." Young was installed as the Titans starter in Week 4 and was named the 2006 Offensive Rookie of the Year . . . A former hedge fund manager's suicide has no effect on a lawsuit filed by Steve Atwater and five other former players against the league and its players union over $20 million they say they lost in an investment scheme, an attorney for the plaintiffs said. The lawsuit claims the union endorsed Kirk Wright's services even though he had liens against him. Wright, 37, hanged himself in a suburban Atlanta jail Saturday, three days after he was convicted of leading an investment scheme that caused clients, ranging from the former players to his mother, to lose millions of dollars while he spent the money on jewelry, real estate, and a $500,000 wedding.

Florida Atlantic is expected to give Mike Jarvis a four-year contract to take over as its men's basketball coach today, according to reports cited by ESPN.com. Jarvis, who hasn't coached in college since he was fired by St. John's in December 2003, replaces Rex Walters, who left to take over the San Francisco program. Jarvis also coached at George Washington and Boston University and was Patrick Ewing's high school coach at Cambridge Rindge & Latin . . . Vijay Singh withdrew from the Memorial in Dublin, Ohio, because of a rib injury sustained last week, and Ernie Els said on his website that he won't be playing until next week. That would leave the Memorial with six of the top 10 players from the world rankings. Tiger Woods, recovering from April 15 surgery on his left knee, did not enter last week and Adam Scott decided not to play . . . Virginia's Somdev Devvarman became only the fourth player in the last 50 years to win back-to-back NCAA men's singles championships Monday by beating Tennessee freshman J.P. Smith, 6-3, 6-2, at Tulsa, Okla. . . . Iraq's soccer federation was suspended from international competition for one year by FIFA because of the decision by its government to disband all national sports governing bodies.