I'll Have Another's shot at horse racing history is only seven days away. The horse will go for the Triple Crown in next Saturday's running of the 2012 Belmont Stakes. Winning both the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness is difficult enough, and no horse has managed to win all three races in more than 30 years. Affirmed was the last horse to managed the feat, in 1978.
Trainer Dough O'Neill liked how I'll Have Another looked Saturday morning as the horse went through his paces. Via Belmont Stakes:
As has been his routine, I’ll Have Another was accompanied to the track by his stable pony, Lava Man, with whom he jogged to the backstretch before breaking off for a one-mile gallop through the mud under exercise rider Jonny Garcia.
“During this whole Triple Crown run," O'Neill said, "he’s trained over a lot of sloppy tracks and he gets over it really well. I don’t think track surface will be an issue.”
I'll Have Another remains the heavy favorite with odds at 3-5, but Dullahan (5-1) and Union Rags (6-1) are both strong contenders to upset I'll Have Another's bid for the Triple Crown. We'll only have to wait a week to see whether the horse will make history or come up short.
Stick with this storystream for news and updates from the 2012 Belmont Stakes, and as always And Down The Stretch They Come has you covered for full time horse racing news and analysis. And don't miss the excellent 2012 Belmont Stakes preview from SB Nation Studios: