Triple Crown contender Big Brown hasn't received a steroid injection since April, the New York Times reported.

The colt's trainer, Rick Dutrow, told the newspaper that Big Brown hasn't received an injection of the anabolic steroid Winstrol since April 15.

It was previously reported that Dutrow injects all of his horses with Winstrol -- a steroid that is legal in 28 of the 38 states where horse racing is held, including the three states holding Triple Crown races -- on the 15th of every month.

But Dutrow told the Times that Big Brown -- who is trying to become the first horse in 30 years to win the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes -- was injected in February, March and April after returning from a hoof injury, but has not been injected since.

"The horse had been doing so good, and is doing so good, I don't want to screw things up," Dutrow told the Times. "I haven't changed any routine."

One of Big Brown's owners, Michael Iavarone, a co-president of the International Equine Acquisitions Holdings, acknowledged to the Times that the colt's accomplishments were questioned after it became public that Dutrow gave his horses steroids.

Iavarone added that Big Brown's talent played a part in the decision to stop giving the colt the steroid injections.

"Rick has said, and we have believed all along, that Big Brown is phenomenally talented and has not needed any performance-enhancing drugs," Iavarone told the newspaper.

Some experts believe that if Dutrow did last inject Big Brown in April, then he should be steroid-free when he runs in Saturday's Belmont Stakes.

Gary Wadler, a New York University medical professor and anti-doping expert, told the Times that it would be fair to argue that a victory in the Belmont Stakes could be considered steroid-free.

“The impact on the race, if any, would be minimal,” Wadler told the newspaper.

Dr. Rick Arthur, the equine medical director for the California Horse Racing Board, told the Times that he agreed with Wadler and that the steroids would have basically no effect on Big Brown at this time.

But Charles E. Yesalis, a professor of sports science at Penn State, told the Times that Big Brown had already been affected by the drugs since he took them while training, which added to his athleticism.

"It's really immaterial that he is not doing it now," Yesalis told the newspaper.

Steroid-free or not, Big Brown enters Saturday's race as a heavy favorite to win the Belmont Stakes. The colt, who will start the race from the No. 1 post, will try to become the first horse since Affirmed in 1978 to win the Triple Crown title.