Union Rags Cleans Up Paynter, Wins Belmont Stakes

2012 Belmont Stakes: Wrapping Up The Triple Crown Series

For the third time in five weeks, a Bob Baffert trained colt attempted to go gate-to-wire in a Triple Crown race. And for the third time in five weeks, that colt was passed in the final 100 yards, settling for an agonizing second place finish.

Like his stablemate Bodemeister, Paynter went right to the lead of the last jewel of the Triple Crown, setting solid fractions through the opening half mile. Jockey Mike Smith, much like he was able to do with Bodemeister in the Preakness, slowed down Paynter in the middle parts of the race and looked like he was riding a winner at the top of the stretch.

Union Rags, after a spring of troubled trips and disappointment, looked like he might not get the racing room needed in the final furlongs on Saturday. As Paynter attempted to wire the field, Union Rags began to make a move along the rail with Atigun to his outside. Had Mike Smith been able to keep Paynter on the rail, John Velazquez and Union Rags would have been forced to go to the outside where they likely would have lost momentum and failed to run down the leader. Fortunately for Union Rags and Johnny V., there was just enough room to make a move and Union Rags, in a move that brought a bit of redemption after a spring of heartbreak, ran past Paynter in the final yards for the victory.

Below are the factions and internal splits for the Belmont. Notice the second and third internal splits by Paynter - 25.52 and 25.49 - after a quick opening quarter, Smith and Paynter settled into a nice, easy gallop on the front of the field. They picked up the pace in the fourth quarter when they clicked off a 24.13 split, but then started to slow down a little heading into the last half mile.

The final time of the Belmont was 2:30.42, a tepid time confirmed by Union Rags earning some of the lowest speed figures* for the Belmont Stakes in the last decade. Union Rags received a Beyer Speed Figure of 96 for his win in the Belmont, the second lowest Beyer since 2000 (Drosselmeyer's 94 in 2010 is the lowest).

*Speed figures are a measurement of how fast a horse ran in a particular race, adjusted for the inherent speed or slowness of the track on that particular day as compared to the standard or "par".. In theory, speed figures can compare the performance of horses at different distance and different tracks through the use of a single number.

The next steps for the still-running Triple Crown stars - Union Rags, Bodemeister, Paynter, Dullahan, and Creative Cause - will now turn towards the summer racing season and, if everything proceeds accordingly, the Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita in early November.

Union Rags will likely run next in either the Haskell Stakes at Monmouth Park or the Travers at Saratoga. Belmont runner-up Paynter will head back to Southern California and then return to the East Coast for the Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga. According to trainer Bob Baffer, Derby and Preakness runner-up Boemeister is pointing to the Haskell.

Dullahan, third in the Derby but a disappointing 6^th as the favorite in the Belmont, has a lot of options going forward to the summer racing season. He's won races on turf and synthetic surface but, despite running well, has never tasted victory over dirt. Dullahan could point to the big races at Monmouth Park and Saratoga, or trainer Dale Romans could elect to put him back on the grass and take a shot at the Secretariat Stakes at Arlington Park in August.

Key Future Stakes Races

Arlington International Festival of Racing (Arlington Million, Beverly D, Secretariat Stakes)
Haskell Stakes
Hollywood Gold Cup
Jim Dandy Stakes
Jockey Club Gold Cup
Pacific Classic
Stephen Foster Handicap
Travers Stakes
Woodward Stakes

2012 Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita Park - November 2nd and 3rd.

Belmont Stakes 2012: Bob Baffert Asks, 'Is There A Triple Crown For Seconds?'

The 2012 Belmont Stakes featured a spectacular finish with Union Rags snatching victory from Paynter at the line, and it looked oddly familiar. Paynter didn't race in the first two legs of the Triple Crown, while Union Rags took the Preakness Stakes off after finishing seventh in the Kentucky Derby. I'll Have Another, the winner of the first two legs of the Triple Crown, was absent on Saturday. That didn't keep the Belmont from looking a heck of a lot like the Derby and the Preakness.

For the third straight Triple Crown race, a Bob Baffert horse was led to the front of the race by jockey Mike Smith. For the third straight Triple Crown race, the horse didn't have enough speed at the very end and was overtaken at the line.

"Is there a Triple Crown for seconds? I need a Triple Crown for seconds. I really thought [Paynter] was going to win today. He was doing so well. I knew we had the horse to do it and that horse [Union Rags] snuck up on him. He's still a young horse, still learning how to run. It's over. When you get beat, you get beat.''

The manner in which Paynter got beat wasn't at all dissimilar to the way Bodemeister was caught down the stretch on two occasions by I'll Have Another. For Baffert and Smith to lose in the exact same manner in three straight big races, with two different horses, is as remarkable as it must be disappointing for the pair.

For more post-race coverage of the Belmont Stakes, stay with this StoryStream and check out SB Nation's horse racing blog And Down The Stretch They Come. There, you'll also find A Beginner's Guide To Following Horse Racing and a glossary of horse racing terms.

2012 Belmont Stakes: Saturday's Race Draws Near-Record Number Of Wagers

Despite the scratch of I'll Have Another -- or perhaps because of it -- Saturday afternoon's Belmont Stakes proved that the sport is still doing all right despite having no Triple Crown winners since 1978. That much was evidenced by strong ratings numbers and, according to the Associated Press, a staggering number of wagers placed.

A close finish led to the second-largest amount of money wagered, strong attendance and higher television ratings, proving people will still watch the sport on its big days.

Union Rags, the Belmont champ, was actually tied with Dullahan as the favorite with 5/2 odds right at post time, but when betting opened Saturday morning every horse was facing longer odds than when it closed Friday, which could have spurred additional wagering. Regardless of the motives, more bets means more people watching and caring, which is ultimately positive for the sport, which had previously been in a slight slump since the mid-2000s.

For more post-race coverage of the Belmont Stakes, stay with this StoryStream and check out SB Nation's horse racing blog And Down The Stretch They Come. There, you'll also find A Beginner's Guide To Following Horse Racing and a glossary of horse racing terms.

Belmont Stakes 2012: Union Rags Tries To Challenge I'll Have Another For Horse Of The Year

With his thrilling win at the Belmont Stakes on Saturday, Union Rags moved into position as the top 3-year-old colt after the retirement of I'll Have Another. While the Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner is a favorite to win the Eclipse Award for horse of the year, Union Rags does have an opportunity to surpass the retired colt with a strong finish. Michael Matz, the trainer of the Belmont winner thinks his colt has a shot to challenge for the award. Via Reid Cherner of USA Today:

"It all depends on how we finish the season," said trainer Michael Matz about winning the Eclipse Award as top 3-year-old and Horse of the Year. "Who knows what could go on? We're not throwing in the towel by any means."

Union Rags promptly returned to his home in rural Fair Hill, Md. after his win Saturday afternoon. The colt will run again this summer, with Matz pegging his next race at one of two tracks -- either the Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga on July 28 or The Haskell at Monmouth Park on July 29. After that, he will target the Travers Stakes on August 25 at Saratoga.

For more post-race coverage of the Belmont Stakes, stay with this StoryStream and check out SB Nation's horse racing blog And Down The Stretch They Come. There, you'll also find A Beginner's Guide To Following Horse Racing and a glossary of horse racing terms.

2012 Belmont Stakes Ratings: Despite Loss Of I'll Have Another's Triple Crown Bid, Good Numbers

I'll Have Another looked poised to make a run at the Triple Crown at the 2012 Belmont Stakes, and leave broadcaster NBC with an unequivocal ratings victory. Instead, I'll Have Another was scratched, leaving the field without both the winner of the 2012 Kentucky Derby and the 2012 Preakness Stakes, as well as Bodemeister, who finished second in both of those races.

And yet, people still tuned in to NBC en masse to see Union Rags win, giving the Belmont Stakes its best rating for a non-Triple Crown bid since 2005. The event pulled a 5.4 overnight rating and a 13 share, 13 percent better than the ratings for the 2011 Belmont Stakes, and 74 percent better than the ratings for the 2010 Belmont Stakes on ABC.

But those numbers lag well behind the numbers for a Triple Crown bid: Big Brown's failed attempt to win the Belmont Stakes in 2008 drew a whopping 9.5 rating/21 share for ABC.

For more post-race coverage of the Belmont Stakes, stay with this StoryStream and check out SB Nation's horse racing blog And Down The Stretch They Come. There, you'll also find A Beginner's Guide To Following Horse Racing and a glossary of horse racing terms.

2012 Belmont Stakes: Union Rags Finally Gets A Clean Trip

He was considered one of the best two-year-old colts in the country. He finished second to Hansen in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile after racing wide almost the entire way around the track. He debuted as a three-year-old in the Fountain of Youth Stakes and rolled to a victory under Julien Leparoux. Then, everything starting going wrong for Union Rags.

The son of Dixie Union, the winter book favorite for the Kentucky Derby, made his final pre-Derby prep in the Florida Derby and encountered a disastrous trip all the way around the track. A month later at Churchill Downs, another bad trip that left Union Rags without a chance to make any meaningful impact. Then he came to Belmont.

Prior to the Belmont Stakes, trainer Michael Matz decided to take Julien Leparoux off of Union Rags and put John Velazquez in the irons. The results were exactly what Matz was looking for.

Union Rags produced a strong run along the rail to get by the pace setter, Paynter, to win the 2012 Belmont Stakes and exact a bit of redemption after a disappointing spring. Paynter, owned, trained and ridden by the same connections of Derby and Preakness runner-up Bodemeister, looked like a certain winner at the top of the stretch, extending his lead to three lengths over his rivals. But jockey Mike Smith wasn’t able to keep Paynter close to the rail and Union Rags exploited the opening in the final 100 yards to get up at the wire.

With the end of the Triple Crown season we now look forward to this three-year-old class taking on older horses as they point towards the Breeders’ Cup in early November. While I’ll Have Another is retired, we still have Bodemeister, Union Rags and Paynter to look forward to over the next six months.

Bob Costas Just Wants To Know Where His Camera Is

2012 Belmont Stakes Payouts

Union Rags got up in the final furlongs to win the 2012 Belmont Stakes over Paynter. With the scratch of I’ll Have Another, the odds for the Belmont were much more even leading to good payouts in all wagers at Belmont Park.

Below are the payouts for the 2012 Belmont Stakes.

Win: 3-Union Rags: 7.50, 4.20, 3.40
Place: 9-Paynter: 5.10, 3.90
Show: 4-Atigun: 10.60

$1.00 Exacta: 15.70
$1.00 Trifecta: 248.00
$0.10 Superfecta: 95.30
$1.00 Double: 24.20
$1.00 Pick 3: 96.00
$0.50 Pick 4: 320.75
$2.00 Pick 6: 15,050.00

Belmont Stakes 2012 Video: Watch Union Rags Win

I'll Have Another's scratch took a bit of the luster off the 2012 Belmont Stakes but, with a strong field of horses and close betting lines, the race still had plenty of intrigue. Union Rags and Dullahan entered the race as favorites, with Paynter close behind.

Paynter got off to a fast start and led the pack through the first quarter of a mile, with Union Rags and Dullahan both sitting comfortably in the middle after solid starts out of the gate. Paynter continued to lead all the way into the final stretch, with Union Rags coming up on the inside. It looked like Paynter was going to hold on until all but about 100 yards remained, when Union Rags surged past, winning at the line by a nose. Atigun finished in third.

Dullahan, the co-favorite along with Union Rags, never really got going and was left behind when the pace picked up.

For more post-race coverage of the Belmont Stakes, stay with this StoryStream and check out SB Nation's horse racing blog And Down The Stretch They Come. There, you'll also find A Beginner's Guide To Following Horse Racing and a glossary of horse racing terms.

2012 Belmont Stakes Results: Union Rags Edges Paynter For The Win

Video: Watch Union Rags win the Belmont.

With I'll Have Another out of the Belmont Stakes, retired after suffering a surprising tendon injury, the scene at Belmont Park was more subdued than expected, a product of another year without a Triple Crown. The shocking scratch turned a weekend full of promise and intrigue into, well, just another race in some regards. But it's still the Belmont, and still the toughest test in horse racing.

Dullahan and Union Rags benefited the most from I'll Have Another's scratch, each assuming the favorite role as a result. Simply judging by the odds, these two were the horses to beat as the call to the post rang out.

As they broke from the starting gate, Paynter immediately broke fast from the outside as expected and led them to the first turn with Union Rags about three lengths off, followed closely by Dullahan. Paynter, the pace-setter, was followed by Optimizer, Unstoppable U and My Adonis down the backstretch, with Union Rags close behind. Dullahan, however, fell off and was second-to-last heading toward the final turn, seven lengths back.

Rounding the final turn, Paynter continued to hold his lead, followed by Unstoppable U and My Adonis with Union Rags on their tails. From the inside, Union Rags reeled in Paynter, snaking along the rail with about 100 yards to go.

At the wire, it was Union Rags, making its run and nipping Paynter, who nearly took it wire-to-wire, to win the Belmont Stakes.

For more on the Belmont Stakes, stay with this StoryStream and check out SB Nation's horse racing blog And Down The Stretch They Come. There, you'll also find A Beginner's Guide To Following Horse Racing and a glossary of horse racing terms.

Belmont Stakes 2012 Odds: Dullahan, Union Rags Even At 5/2

Since I'll Have Another's scratch, Dullahan has been going off as the favorite consistently. Just minutes before post time, however, Union Rags has caught up. Both horses are at 5/2 odds, dead even, as more and more bettors have decided to go with trainer Michael Matz's Union Rags, He will be mounted by jockey John Velazquez, who has had a good day so far at Aqueduct. It's Velazquez's first time racing Union Rags, but he won the 2007 Belmont atop Rags-to-Riches despite having never ridden him before.

Here are the complete odds just after 6 p.m.:

1- Street Life - 9/1
2- Unstoppable U - 10/1
3- Union Rags - 5/2
4- Atigun - 19/1
5- Dullahan - 5/2
6- Ravelo's Boy - 24/1
7- Five Sixteen - 16/1
8- Guyana Star Dweej - 20/1
9- Paynter - 9/2
10- Optimizer - 12/1
11- I'll Have Another - Scratched
12- My Adonis - 19/1

For more on the Belmont Stakes, stay with this StoryStream and check out SB Nation's horse racing blog And Down The Stretch They Come. There, you'll also find A Beginner's Guide To Following Horse Racing and a glossary of horse racing terms.

Belmont Stakes Results 2012: Desert Blanc Wins Final Undercard By A Nose

Edit: Union Rags wins the Belmont Stakes.

In the final race before the Belmont Stakes, the Manhattan handicap, Desert Blanc won a spectacular photo finish over Papaw Bodie. It was jockey Ramon Dominguez's third win of the day, so bettors hoping to ride the hot hand will want to wage on My Adonis, Dominguez's mount in the Belmont.

The race was spectacular from start to finish, with Hudson Steele keeping the lead for most of the seven furlongs before Desert Blanc and Papaw Bodie stormed by neck-and-neck. They stayed together for the final stretch, with Desert Blanc a nose ahead. Papaw Bodie closed by mere inches, but couldn't pull ahead. This is how close the finish was. "By a nose" is the appropriate terminology here:

For more on the Belmont Stakes, stay with this StoryStream and check out SB Nation's horse racing blog And Down The Stretch They Come. There, you'll also find A Beginner's Guide To Following Horse Racing and a glossary of horse racing terms.

Belmont Stakes 2012 Results: Tapitsfly And Trinniberg Win Undercard Races

Edit: Union Rags wins the Belmont Stakes.

Two more undercards before the Belmont Stakes at Aqueduct have concluded, the Longines Just A Game Stakes and the Woody Stephens stakes, taken home by Tapitsfly and Trinniberg, respectively. Tapitsfly was ridden by Ramon Dominguez and Trinniberg by Willie Martinez, who was on Giant Ryan earlier Saturday when he went down with a fractured ankle. Neither jockey has a mount in the Belmont Stakes.

Javier Castellano and John R. Velazquez finished second and third to Tapitsfly. Castellano will ride Dullahan in the Belmont and Velazquez will ride Union Rags, two of the horses with the best odds to win the big race. Both jockeys will race again before the Belmont, but they're clearly locked in right now.

For more on the Belmont Stakes, stay with this StoryStream and check out SB Nation's horse racing blog And Down The Stretch They Come. There, you'll also find A Beginner's Guide To Following Horse Racing and a glossary of horse racing terms.

Caixa Electronica Wins True North Handicap, Giant Ryan Fractures Ankle

Edit: Union Rags wins the Belmont Stakes.

Caixa Electronica, at 4/1 odds, took home the six-furlong True North Handicap, the seventh race of the day in the buildup to the Belmont Stakes. He ran it in less than a minute and ten seconds, but that wasn't the story of the race. That unfortunate distinction belonged to Giant Ryan, the No. 6 horse owned by Shivananda Racing, which fractured a bone in his left ankle and suffered ligament damage just before the finish line. From USA Today:

Jockey Willie Martinez was slowing the horse, Giant Ryan, when he fell to the dirt about 40 yards from the finish in the seventh race. Martinez hopped to his feet. The horse also regained his footing but was unable to put weight on his left leg.

Track workers brought out a black curtain and surrounded the horse, who was loaded into a van and taken from the track.

Giant Ryan was put in a cast, and his future health is still up in the air.

For more on the Belmont Stakes, stay with this StoryStream and check out SB Nation's horse racing blog And Down The Stretch They Come. There, you'll also find A Beginner's Guide To Following Horse Racing and a glossary of horse racing terms.

2012 Belmont Stakes Results: Mia Poppy, Teeth Of The Dog Pick Up Undercard Wins

Edit: Union Rags wins the Belmont Stakes.

The countdown to the 2012 Belmont Stakes continues. Saturday's undercard for the famous race is well underway, with a full 13 races scheduled at the track. Two more races are in the books, including the first race in the Pick 6. The Pick 6 involves bettors picking the winners of six consecutive races, from Race 6 to Race 11. If enough long shots come in, the payout could stand to be six or even seven figures for a winner.

In Race 5, Mia Poppy, a 10/1 bet, took first place in a one-mile run on the turf. Anaphylaxis placed and Carbon County showed. Adirondack Dancer, the 2/1 favorite, was an also ran but was fourth in the superfecta.

In the sixth race of the day, Teeth of the Dog, the 2/1 favorite, took home the $100,000 purse, while Fast Falcon took second and Politicallycorrect came in third.

For more on the Belmont Stakes, stay with this StoryStream and check out SB Nation's horse racing blog And Down The Stretch They Come. There, you'll also find A Beginner's Guide To Following Horse Racing and a glossary of horse racing terms.

Belmont Stakes 2012 Results: 4 Undercard Races Already Finished

Before the main event gets underway at the 2012 Belmont Stakes in New York, there's a full undercard of horse racing. 13 races are on the docket Saturday prior to the third leg of the Triple Crown, and the first four on the undercard are already in the books.

In the first race of the day, 5/2 favorite I Dreamt I Was won, Market Princess placed and Irish horse Wet One came in third.

In the second race, Love to Run took the winner's share of the $75,000 purse, coming in ahead of Tiz Yankee and Wild Target.

Mineswept won the third race, which was a one-mile run on the dirt track. Live for Today placed and Overextended showed. A $2 trifecta pick on this race paid out $1,109.

Define won the second $75,000 race of the day, coming in ahead of Ruthless Alley and Current Design. A trifecta on a $2 bet would have paid out the hefty sum of $1,969 in this race.

For more on the Belmont Stakes, stay with this StoryStream and check out SB Nation's horse racing blog And Down The Stretch They Come. There, you'll also find A Beginner's Guide To Following Horse Racing and a glossary of horse racing terms.

Belmont Stakes 2012: Betting Strategy

More: Latest Belmont odds are here.

The scratch of Derby and Preakness winner I'll Have Another leaves a big hole in the betting for the 2012 Belmont Stakes. Dullahan is your new morning line favorite at odds of 9/5, with Union Rags and Paynter the second and third choice on the board.

There are a couple of different strategies that players can employ to try and make some decent money on the Belmont. The first is simply playing the long shot horses to win. As pointed out by Andrew Beyer at the Daily Racing Form, had a player put a $2 win bet on every horse to run in the Belmont in the last 15 years, they would have doubled their money over the last ten years. Those are pretty remarkable numbers and the direct result of a parade of big priced horses winning the Belmont in 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2006, 2004 and 2002. In all seven of those years the winning horses paid a minimum of $25 for a $2 win bet.

If just placing random bets on the longest shots on the tote board doesn't appeal to you, the exotic wagers offer an opportunity to generate value off of your actual handicapping opinions. Since 2000, the median $2 exacta payout at the Belmont is a robust $130, which is incredibly strong. Even the years where a low priced horses has won the race, the exata has still paid in the$30 to $40 range. If you like Dullahan to win, you could play an exacta with the favorite on top and a couple of the mid-price horses underneath. And then as protection for an upset, you could play the reverse for a smaller amount. Below is an example of what an exacta play with Dullahan as the key horse might look like:

$10 Exacta: Dullahan over Paynter and Street Life (Total cost: $20)
$5 Exacta: Paynter and Street Life over Dullahan (Total cost: $10)

In the above scenario, the player has $30 in bets with the majority of his money on the combination with Dullahan in the win position. You always want to bet your strongest opinion for the most money, and your weaker or "back-up" tickets for smaller amounts.

The above wagers would pay out in the following situations:

• If Dullahan were to win and Paynter finishes second, the player has the exacta for $10, or 5 times the $2 base.
• If Dullahan were to win and Street Life finishes second, the player has the exacta for $10, or 5 times the $2 base.
• If Paynter were to win and Dullahan finishes second, the player has the exacta for $5, or 2.5 times the $2 base.
• If Street Life were to win and Dullahan finishes second, the player has the exacta for $5, or 2.5 times the $2 base.
• If either Paynter or Street Life win and one of those same two horses finishes second, the player would not hold a winning ticket.

The player is vulnerable in the situation where Dullahan doesn't finish in the top 2 but this strategy is relying on a player's opinions, not simply hoping for a lucky finish. You could "box" all three horses in a $2 exacta which would ensure that you'd hold the winning ticket as long as any two of the three finish first and second. But boxing tends to increase the cost of the bet AND it prevents the player from wagering different amounts on different combinations (like the example above).

The strategy utilized above can be extrapolated to trifectas, perfectas and daily doubles. The goal, as always, is to have your bets working for your strongest opinions.

At the end of the day the most important piece of wagering strategy is this: if you have a strong opinion, play it for the most money.

Below is a chart summarizing the median, high and low payouts for various wagers at the Belmont Stakes since 2000.

Horses' Day Off: Belmont Contenders Cheer Up I'll Have Another

Behind The Belmont: Documenting What Makes The Race Uniquely Difficult

I'll Have Another won't be running in the 2012 Belmont Stakes, having been scratched due to injury. That will make the Belmont a little less exciting, given how good a chance I'll Have Another seemed to have to win the first Triple Crown in 34 years. But it may not make the race less dramatic, as SB Nation's YouTube channel explains in a behind-the-scenes look at the Belmont.

"You don't want to miss something like this," says Bill Turner, trainer of 1977 Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew, "because they don't come around very often." He's talking about Triple Crown bids, but he knows full well how tough the Belmont — which John Sabini, chairman of the New York State Racing and Wagering Board, notes "has been known as the 'graveyard of champions' for a reason" — really is: Seattle Slew became the first horse ever to finish the Triple Crown without ever previously suffering a loss in 1977.

Dullahan's trainer, Dale Romans, says that "Most of these horses have never raced a mile and a half, and most of them will never do it again." It's that length, and the occasionally withering June heat on Long Island, that has stopped the many horses that have claimed the first two jewels of the Triple Crown since Affirmed from finishing the feat at Belmont Park.

That won't be what stops I'll Have Another, but interviews with the horse's owner and jockey help explain the immense scrutiny the potential Triple Crown winner and his team were under from the moment they made it to the Belmont.

And as for the likely Saturday favorite, Dullahan, Romans says his charge is "bred to go the distance" in "one of America's great races."

For more on the Belmont Stakes and the race for the Triple Crown, stay with this StoryStream; for more on I'll Have Another's injury and retirement, follow this StoryStream. Check out SB Nation's horse racing blog And Down The Stretch They Come. There, you'll also find A Beginner's Guide To Following Horse Racing and a glossary of horse racing terms.

Belmont Stakes 2012 Contenders: Unstoppable U

Horse: Unstoppable U
Trainer: Ken McPeek
Pedigree: By Exchange Rate out of a Point Given mare (Naseem)
Career Record: 2-2-0-0
Career Earnings: $82,200
Notable Races: None

Can He Win The Belmont Stakes?

As one of the longest shots on the morning line (30/1), Unstoppable U appears to be up against it in the Belmont Stakes in his first start against stakes company AND his first time racing longer than a mile He's undefeated in two lifetime starts, but those two races were against maidens and optional claiming horses. He won't be facing anything similar to optional claimers in the Belmont

In his first two races, Unstoppable U displayed a front-running tactical style that would appear to be difficult to successfully employ in the Belmont. With both Paynter and My Adonis to his outside, Unstoppable U is unlikely to get any breathers in the early stages of the race. It's tough to envision this colt having much left in the tank in the final quarter mile.

I'll Have Another Retired From Horse Racing Following Injury

The stunning news this Friday that I'll Have Another would not complete his Triple Crown run at the 2012 Belmont Stakes was not the only shock of the day to the world of thoroughbred racing: I'll Have Another's racing career is over, as he will be retired due to an injury sustained in a Friday practice.

I'll Have Another took the 2012 Kentucky Derby and stormed down the stretch to overtake Bodemeister and win the 2012 Preakness Stakes, setting up the first chance a horse would have had since Big Brown in 2008 to win the Triple Crown at the Belmont. But a tendon injury reportedly suffered in a morning practice led to the horse being scratched from the race, meaning that I'll Have Another will not join the ranks of Triple Crown winners.

In retirement, I'll Have Another could bring millions of dollars in stud fees.

For more on the Belmont Stakes and the race for the Triple Crown, stay with this StoryStream and check out SB Nation's horse racing blog And Down The Stretch They Come. There, you'll also find A Beginner's Guide To Following Horse Racing and a glossary of horse racing terms.

2012 Belmont Stakes Contenders: My Adonis

Horse: My Adonis
Trainer: Kelly Breen
Pedigree: By Pleasantly Perfect out of an Elusive Quality mare (Silent Justice)
Career Record: 10-2-4-2
Career Earnigns: $316,000
Notable Races: G1-Wood Memorial (7^th); G3-Gotham (2^nd); G3-Holy Bull (3^rd); G3-Delta Downs Jackpot (9^th)

Can He Win The Belmont Stakes?

There are some real concerns for My Adonis as he rolls into the Belmont Stakes starting gate on Saturday afternoon. First, the bottom half of his pedigree is very light on stamina. His dam sire, Elusive Quality, tends to produce sprinters and milers. Second, the races that he's coming out of - namely the Wood, Gotham and Holy Bull - have turned out to be fairly weak this Triple Crown season. And finally, My Adonis failed to beat a much weaker field in his last race, the ungraded Canonero II Stakes at Pimlico on May 5^th, in a race where he went to post as the 3/10 favorite.

Like most longshots in the Belmont, My Adonis will need to run the race of his life to win on Saturday, or he'll need the rest of the field to flop. Neither one of those options seems incredibly likely to occur.

One factor in the favor of My Adonis on the Belmont is his running style and post position. Typically, My Adonis shows a good deal of speed from the gate but he doesn't need the lead in order to win. From his outside post position, jockey Ramon Dominguez (a seasoned rider at Belmont Park) should be able to put My Adonis in a tactically advantageous position within the first quarter mile. From there the question will be "does the horse have the class and stamina to beat this field?"

VIDEO: Trainer Doug O'Neill Confirms I'll Have Another Out Of Belmont

I'll Have Another trainer Doug O'Neill called into "The Dan Patrick Show" on Friday to confirm the famous horse would be pulling out of Saturday's 2012 Belmont Stakes due to a leg injury. This ensures there will be no Triple Crown winner in 2012.

CSN Chicago supplied a video of the Dan Patrick Show segment on which O'Neill appeared to announce the decision. O'Neill tried to break up the moment with levity, as you can see in the video below.

The New York Racing association announced on their Twitter feed later on Friday that O'Neill's brother Dennis O'Neill has confirmed the news of I'll Have Another's withdrawal from the race.

For more on the Belmont Stakes and the race for the Triple Crown, stay with this StoryStream and check out SB Nation's horse racing blog And Down The Stretch They Come. There, you'll also find A Beginner's Guide To Following Horse Racing and a glossary of horse racing terms.

I'll Have Another Scratched From Belmont With Reported Tendon Injury

According to reports on Horse Racing TV (HRTV), it appears that I’ll Have Another has suffered a tendon injury that will not only prevent him from running in the Belmont Stakes but will also likely end his racing career.

A tendon injury is typically not life-threatening, but it is a serious injury and the recovery time can be a minimum of three months or longer. Additionally, due to the importance of the legs of a horse, and the fact that re-injury to a tendon is difficult to correct, top class horses are generally retired even after they have recovered from the initial injury.

A greater explanation of the importance of a horse’s tendon is detailed at the website For The Love of The Horse:

When horses move, their tendons must be flexible enough to stretch and contract within a range of 1 to 3 inches. If a tendon is pushed beyond this linear "stress capacity," tendon injury is likely to occur. Such damage to the tendon usually involves rupture of the tendon fibers. The number of ruptured fibers is directly related to the seriousness of the injury.

With the statement by trainer Doug O’Neill that I’ll Have Another has likely run his last race, it appears that he has suffered a serious injury to the tendon.

Belmont Stakes 2012 Contenders: Paynter

Horse: Paynter
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Pedigree: By Awesome Again out of a Cee's Tizzy mare (Tizso)
Career Record: 4-2-1-0
Career Earnings: $152,224
Notable Races: G1-Santa Anita Derby (4^th); G3-Derby Trial (2^nd)

Can He Win The Belmont Stakes?

If you are looking for a horse that could upset I'll Have Another, Paynter might be your colt. A lightly raced horse trained by Bob Baffert and owned by Zayat Stables (the same connections as Derby and Preakness runner-up Bodemeister), Paynter looked fantastic when he won an allowance race at Pimlico on Preakness Day. That field was much weaker than the one he'll face at Belmont Park on Saturday, but this colt's talent is plain for everyone to see. Three races back, he finished 3 ¾ lengths behind I'll Have Another in the G1-Santa Anita Derby, and the California 3-year-olds have been the best of the bunch in 2012.

If there are concerns about Paynter's chances in the Belmont, they are these: the bottom half of his pedigree is a little light on stamina and his running style may compromise his chances to get a mile and a half.

Paynter utilized a gate-to-wire running style in that outstanding performance at Pimlico three weeks ago. That may work when running a mile and a sixteenth, but it's a lot hard when a horse is trying to get 12 furlongs. Additionally, the presence of horses with speed to his inside and outside, it's unlikely that Paynter will have it easy in the early stages.

I'll Have Another Scratched From Belmont, According To Trainer

Follow @sbnation

It appears that the world will be without a Triple Crown winner for yet another year, but in an extremely disappointing way. I'll Have Another, the winner of the 2012 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, has officially been scratched from Saturday's Belmont Stakes, according to trainer Doug O'Neill.

In an interview on the Dan Patrick Show on Friday, O'Neill confirmed that I'll Have Another has indeed been scratched. O'Neill said, "We ain't taking any chances," and that the scratch "is a bummer, but far from tragic." O'Neill guessed that I'll Have Another has run his last race.

There were rumors of injury swirling on Friday before the announcement, but O'Neill did not mention anything specific leading to the scratch. The I'll Have Another camp has a press conference scheduled for 1 p.m. ET to announce the decision.

For more on the Belmont Stakes and the race for the Triple Crown, stay with this StoryStream and check out SB Nation's horse racing blog And Down The Stretch They Come. There, you'll also find A Beginner's Guide To Following Horse Racing and a glossary of horse racing terms.

Belmont Stakes 2012 Contenders: Dullahan

Horse: Dullahan
Trainer: Dale Romans
Pedigree: By Even the Score out of a Smart Strike mare (Mining My Own)
Career Record: 9-2-2-2
Career Earnings: $1,072,091
Notable Races: G1-Kentucky Derby (3^rd); G1-Blue Grass Stakes (1^st); G3-Palm Beach (2^nd); G1-Breeders' Cup Juvenile (4^th); G2-With Anticipation ( 3^rd)

Can He Win The Belmont Stakes?

After closing well from far back to finish 3rd in the Kentucky Derby, Dullahan is a strong choice by many to play the role of spoiler to I'll Have Another in the Belmont. He didn't run in the Preakness, which should leave him very fresh for this race, and his running style suggests that the added ground shouldn't be much of a problem. There is, however, is a factor that could throw a wrench in the Dullahan party, and that's pace.

While Dullahan was visually impressive at the end of the Derby, sometimes the finishing kick of a closer can be a little deceptive due to how slow the horses in front of him are running. The early pace of the Derby was very fast and, as a result, the horses near the front were easy pickings for a deep closer like Dullahan. The pace of the Belmont won't be anywhere near as fast as the Derby, which might make it a little more difficult for Dullahan to make up large amounts of ground in the final furlongs.

Dullahan is the second choice on the morning line at odds of 5/1, and he will likely attract a lot of attention from players looking to try and beat I'll Have Another at the windows.

The Triple Crown: Heartbreak Since '78

Since 1978, eleven horses have won both the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness and then failed to win the Triple Crown in the Belmont Stakes. Each of those eleven have found unique ways to come up short in the quest for American horse racing's biggest prize.

2012 Belmont Stakes Contenders: Union Rags

Horse: Union Rags
Trainer: Michael Matz
Pedigree: By Dixie Union out of a Gone West mare (Tempo)
Career Record: 7-4-1-1
Career Earnings: $1,198,800
Notable Races: G1-Kentucky Derby (7th); G1-Florida Derby (3^rd); G2-Fountain of Youth (1^st); G1-Breeders' Cup Juvenile (2^nd); G1-Champagne Stakes (1^st); G2-Saratoga Special (1^st)

Can He Win The 2012 Belmont Stakes?:

Following a couple of tough trips for Union Rags in the Florida Derby and Kentucky Derby, trainer Michael Matz decided to make a jockey change heading into the Belmont, replacing Julien Leparoux with John Velazquez. Johnny V. is the fourth different jock to ride Union Rags; Julien Pimentel rode Union Rags in his debut win, Javier Castallano rode him during his stakes wins as a juvenile, and Leparoux inherited the mount for all three of his starts in 2012. Matz is hoping that Velazquez can help to change Union Rags' racing luck.

A top concern for Union Rags in the Belmont is his ability to handle the mile and a half distance. Union Rags is a son of Dixie Union, a sire that produces offspring that win at an average distance of 6.9 furlongs. His dam sire, Gone West, produces offspring that win at an average distance of 7.4 furlongs. While it's unusual to see any horses in America today that are bred to run a mile and a half, the sprint/miler pedigree of Union Rags is probably a little on the short side.

2012 Belmont Stakes Contenders: Optimizer

Horse: Optimizer
Trainer: D. Wayne Lukas
Pedigree: By English Channel out of an A.P. Indy mare (Indy Pick)
Career Record: 11-1-2-1
Career Earnings: $215,594
Notable Races: G1-Preakness (6th); G1-Kentucky Derby (11^th);G1-Arkansas Derby (9^th); G2-Rebel (2^nd); G2-Risen Star (9^th); G2-Kentucky Jockey Club (4^th); G1-Breeders' Cup Juvenile (8^th); G1-Breeders' Futurity (3^rd); G2-With Anticipation (2^nd)

Can He win The Belmont?

There is a simple answer to the question, "Can Optimizer win the Belmont?" That answer is "no".

There are multiple issues with Optimizer heading into the Belmont Stakes. First, he's never won on a dirt surface in his career. He won his debut on the turf and then ran a solid race in the G1-Breeders' Futurity over the Polytrack at Keeneland, but to this point, Optimizer has failed to win on dirt.

Second, Optimizer's form in his last three races is simply awful. He finished 2nd to Secret Circle in the G2-Rebel Stakes back on March 17th, and has proceeded to follow that up by finishing 9th, 11th and 6th in his next three starts, losing by a combined total of 46 lengths. Forty. Six.

Third, Optimizer's trainer, Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas, has been abysmal in graded stakes races over the last few years. Lukas won a pair of stakes on the Preakness undercard three weeks ago, but over his last 165 starters in graded stakes races, Lukas has only been able to win three times (2%) and sports a -$1.82 $2 Return On Investment. There is no way to sugarcoat those numbers.

Optimizer will likely find the Belmont Stakes to be an uphill struggle to snap his 10 race losing streak.

2012 Belmont Stakes: Breaking Down The Draw And The Pace

The entries, post positions and morning line odds are set for Saturday's Grade 1 Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park (post time: 6:40pm Eastern; TV: NBC). I'll Have Another stands on the precipice of American horse racing history if he can successfully navigate the mile and a half Test of Champions on Saturday afternoon.

Let's take a look at the draw and the potential pace scenario for Saturday's big race.

The Draw

Post positions for the Belmont Stakes aren't nearly as critical to a horse's success as they are in the Kentucky Derby, mainly due to a smaller field and a more tepid pace scenario. Wednesday's draw did little to seriously hurt the chances of any of the Belmont contenders, but at the same time, the connections of a few horses are probably a little pleased, or a little disappointed, with the position of their horse in the starting gate.

I'll Have Another: The Derby and Preakness winner drew post position #11 and it's difficult to envision a better spot for the odds-on favorite. In each of his four starts in 2012, all of which are victories, I'll Have Another has raced in the clear to the outside about three or four paths from the rail. Racing wide on the turns hasn't been a problem for this colt in any of his races and he appears to perform at his best when he's able to sit to the outside of his competition.

Street Life: As the deepest of the deep closers in the field, Street Life's connections should be just fine with the rail as it will allow jockey Jose Lezcano to save ground around the entire track. Additionally, the pace scenario - which initially looked to be extremely lacking - received a bit of a boost from the entry of My Adonis (see below), and should help the chances of Street Life.

Union Rags: While there aren't any bad post position draws in the Belmont Stakes, the connection of Union Rags were likely hoping for something a bit better than an inside spot in the starting gate. Union Rags has had all kinds of trouble in his last couple of races as a result of getting boxed in and shuffled back in the early stages. It's unlikely that he'll will experience the same kind of trouble that he encountered in the Florida and Kentucky Derbys, but the #3 post position is certainly not gong to help this colt avoid trouble.

Paynter: One of the strongest contenders of the new shooters, Paynter drew perfectly in the #9 hole from which jockey Mike Smith should be able to determine whether to send his colt hard early, or sit back of the early speed of My Adonis and Unstoppable U.

The Pace

Over much of the last three weeks it appeared that the Belmont field was destined to have very little in the way of early speed. Unstoppable U and Paynter are really the only horses that prefer to display a "need-to-lead" running style and it looked increasingly like there would be little to challenge those two in the early stages. Then, in a last minute move, the connections of My Adonis decided to enter the Belmont and the pace scenario completely changed.

My Adonis is not a "need-to-lead" kind of horse - his preferred running style tends to be stalking/pressing the pace - but he does like to be prominent in the early stages of his races. His addition to the Belmont field (and his #12 post position), helps to ensure that the first quarter of a mile of Saturday's race should at least be honest, if not quick.

Unstoppable U will likely lead the field heading into the first turn, with both Paynter and My Adonis tracking him just to his outside. How much pressure Paynter and My Adonis apply to Unstoppable U will determine just how fast the early pace will end up. Derby and Preakness winner I'll Have Another should be able to sit back and track the three early leaders right from the starting gate. If the pace is quick, I'll Have Another can hang back and wait to make his move after coming off the far turn. If the pace is very soft, jockey Mario Gutierrez can put I'll Have Another closer to the lead in order to get a jump on the closers at the top of the stretch run.

The addition of My Adonis to the Belmont field is a good thing for I'll Have Another as it helps to ensure that Paynter will have some company in the early stages (as opposed to Paynter tracking the long-shot speed of Unstoppable U all by himself). Anything that is likely to soften up Paynter in the early stages is a huge benefit to the chances of I'll Have Another to win the Belmont and the Triple Crown.

2012 Belmont Stakes Contenders: Atigun

Horse: Atigun
Trainer: Ken McPeek
Pedigree: By Istan out of a Dynaformer mare (Rimini Road)
Career Record: 9-3-1-0
Career Earnings: $135,253
Notable Races: G1-Arkansas Derby (5^th); G2-Rebel Stakes (11^th); G2-Kentucky Jockey Club (5^th)

Can He win The Belmont?

Atigun began his career by racing on the turf and on Polytrack surfaces and struggled to find consistency. Once he made the transition to dirt he became a much better horse, winning three of his next six races. However, all three of those wins came against non-stakes competition and he's yet to run a race that puts him in the same class as the top contenders in the Belmont.

In terms of pedigree, Atigun's dam sire, Dynaformer, is a noted stamina influence in American racing and suggests that the mile and a half distance shouldn't be a huge obstacle to success, at least when compared to the other horses in this field. The problem with Atigun isn't pedigree or even current form - he's definitely a horse that's improved over his last three starts - but simply a matter of class.

In order to have a chance at an upset in Saturday's Belmont Stakes, Atigun is going to need to make a big improvement off of his previous races.

Belmont Stakes 2012: D. Wayne Lukas Speaks Out On I'll Have Another's Jockey

Whether it's gamesmanship or just speaking the truth, a legendary horse trainer is drawing attention for his thoughts on which jockey is most fit to ride favorite I'll Have Another during Saturday's Belmont Stakes.

Sporting a four-inch gash across his forehead, D. Wayne Lukas is calling out trainer Doug O'Neill for his decision to stick with 25-year-old Mario Guiterrez as the jockey for I'll Have Another, despite concerns he may not be experienced enough to ride a horse to victory on a track that's more than 1.5 miles long.

"More riders have lost the race than horses," Lukas told the media Wednesday. "It's a difficult race track to ride. Even if you ride it daily, there's something about it."

Lukas, who will run long-shot Optimizer in Saturday's race, is recovering from a kick to the head from one of his horses. The injury required stiches but only sidelined him from particpating in pre-race activites for a day, despite leaving an poorly timed unsightly facial wound.

At 4-5 odds, I'll Have Another is looking to become the first horse to win the Triple Crown in 34 years.

Lukas has trained four Belmont Stakes winning horses, the last being Commendable in 2000.

For more on the Belmont Stakes and the race for the Triple Crown, stay with this StoryStream and check out SB Nation's horse racing blog And Down The Stretch They Come. There, you'll also find A Beginner's Guide To Following Horse Racing and a glossary of horse racing terms.

2012 Belmont Stakes Contenders: Street Life

Horse: Street Life
Trainer: Chad Brown
Pedigree: By Street Sense out of a Grindstone mare (Stone Hope)
Career Record: 5-2-0-1
Career Earnings: $114,405
Notable Races: G2-Peter Pan Stakes (3^rd); G1-Wood Memorial (6th); Broad Brush Stakes (1^st)

Can He win The Belmont Stakes?

With only five races under his belt, Street Life is a lightly raced colt that improved a significant amount in his last start in the G2-Peter Pan Stakes at Belmont Park.

Street Life is a stone cold closer, which means he's a horse that generally does very little running in the early stages and attempts to pass the leaders inside the final furlongs. That might be a difficult running style to successfuly utilize in the Belmont due to what is shaping up to be a very soft pace scenario. Unstoppable U is really the only true speed horse in the Belmont field and it seems unlikely that a front-end duel will develop that will aide Street Life's big closing kick.

One factor that makes Street Life a dangerous horse in the Belmont is that he appears to be improving with each and every start this spring. It remains to be seen whether he can improve enough in the Belmont to have a shot at a huge upset, but there's no doubt that Street Life is a well-bred and talented colt that is on the upswing.

2012 Belmont Stakes Contenders: Guyana Star Dweej

Horse: Guyana Star Dweej
Trainer: Doodnauth Shivmangal
Pedigree: By Eddington out of a Pine Bluff mare (Special Feeling)
Career Record: 9-1-5-0
Career Earnings: $103,830
Notable Races: None

Can He Win The Belmont?

During some years, the new shooters at the Belmont include some really talented horses that developed a little too late to make the Kentucky Derby or the Preakness. Other years, we find borderline stakes horses taking a shot at a big prize. Guyana Star Dweej is an example of a borderline stakes horse taking a shot.

Guyana Star Dweej broke his maiden two races back at Aqueduct. He followed that up with a 2^nd place finish against $75k Optional Claiming horses at Belmont at the end of April. And that's about it for this colt in terms of notable accomplishments. He's never beaten horses that have won a race let along tried to run against graded stakes competition.

Anything's possible in horse racing but this colt seems way out of his league in the Belmont and should be one of the longest shots on the board.

The Triple Crown Winners: From Sir Barton To Affirmed

The Triple Crown of American horse racing is one of the most difficult feats to accomplish in all of sports. Only 11 colts have successfully navigated the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes over the last century, and all of them are considered among the greatest in the history of the game.

Triple Crown 2012: Kent Desormeaux Gets Shot Riding Guyana Star Dweej

Hall of Fame jockey Kent Desormeaux was supposed to ride Dullahan in the Belmont Stakes, but failed a breathalyzer test on May 18. That knocked him out of riding on Tiger Walk in the Preakness, but Desormeaux has found a replacement ride for the Belmont this weekend.

The 42 year old will be riding long-shot Guyana Star Dweej -- and, ironically enough, "dweej" in Hindu means "born again".

"Yes. I'm excited," Desormeaux told the New York Daily News. "This is a historical race, a big event. I'm thrilled to be involved."

Dullahan is expected to have the second- or third-best odds in the race behind I'll Have Another. But now Desormeaux, who began a six-week alcohol rehabilitation last week, will try to add to a Hall Of Fame career that includes one Belmont win by finishing higher than most expect on Guyana Star Dweej.

For more on the Belmont Stakes and the race for the Triple Crown, stay with this StoryStream and check out SB Nation's horse racing blog And Down The Stretch They Come. There, you'll also find a A Beginner's Guide To Following Horse Racing and a glossary of horse racing terms.

Belmont Stakes 2012: My Adonis Will Be Part Of Post Position Draw On Wednesday

The 2012 Belmont Stakes got a little tougher for I'll Have Another on Tuesday night when My Adonis was announced as a late entrant before Wednesday's post position drawing. My Adonis' owners are George and Lori Hall, the same owners who won the 2011 Belmont Stakes with Ruler On Ice.

My Adonis was an entrant in the Kentucky Derby, but none of the 20 horses that took part in the race were scratched, leaving the horse on the outside looking in. Instead, My Adonis went on to take third place in the Canonero II Stakes.

Kelly Breen trains the horse, while Ramon Dominguez is expected to be the jockey.

With 12 total horses in the field, I'll Have Another's pursuit of the Triple Crown becomes harder as the time ticks down until the gates open on Saturday.

For more on the Belmont Stakes and the race for the Triple Crown, stay with this StoryStream and check out SB Nation's horse racing blog And Down The Stretch They Come. There, you'll also find A Beginner's Guide To Following Horse Racing and a glossary of horse racing terms.

I'll Have Another Bravely Remains A Horse In The Face Of Adversity

2012 Belmont Stakes: Got $11,000? You Could Have Bought I'll Have Another As A Yearling

The business of breeding, buying, selling and owning thoroughbred race horses is a volatile and risky endeavor. Every year, millions upon millions of dollars are spent at various auction houses around the world, with each bidder looking for their next "big horse". The reasons why someone would purchase a thoroughbred at auction are as varied as the horses themselves. Some buyers are looking for breeding stock, some for horses to race, while others are simply looking for well-bred, well-balanced horses that they can turn around and sell quickly for a profit.

The risk in buying a horse is extreme. Despite all the homework a bloodstock agent can do regarding a horse's pedigree, and all the vet examination of films and conformation, it's difficult to measure the heart and desire of a world class thoroughbred until they finally set foot on the track. For every horse like The Green Monkey (sale price: $16 million and never won a race; click the link for the incredible auction video), there are horses like John Henry (sale price: $1,000; won $6.5 million), Zenyatta (sale price: $60k; won $7.3 million), Funny Cide (sale price: $22k; won $3.5 million) and a horse on the cusp of the Triple Crown, I'll Have Another.

Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner I'll Have Another was initially sold as a yearling at the Keeneland September Sale of 2010 for the sum of $11,000. From that point, his initial owner, Victor Davila, broke the horse and turned around and sold him to the current owner, J. Paul Reddam, for $35,000 at the Ocala Breeders' Sale in April of 2011. A little over a year later and I'll Have Another has won over $2.6 million and is two-thirds of the way to the first Triple Crown in 34 years.

Davila has no regrets of selling I'll Have Another; he understands the inherent risk and reward within the thoroughbred industry. While the sale of I'll Have Another might look like a bad deal in retrospect, there are other deals that end up looking great after time has passed. Speaking to the Gainesville Sun, Davila noted the mentality one must have when buying and selling horses:

"It's OK. It's part of it." he said, saddling one of Eisaman's 2-year-olds-in-training thoroughbreds at the Fasig-Tipton Sale outside Baltimore this week, getting the horse ready for sale.

...

"This type of business has ups and down. But you have to play," Davila said with a shrug.

The same year he bought I'll Have Another, Davila bought another colt for $8,500 and sold him for $100,000. He said the sale helps make up for selling I'll Have Another at the lower price.

Horse racing is known as The Sport of Kings, partially due to its roots in aristocracy hundreds of years ago, and partially due to the large sums of money invested in the sport. But one of the things that makes the sport interesting to follow for us die-hard fans is the fact that despite the large sums of money invested by extremely wealthy people at auctions around the world, the purchase price on its own doesn't guarantee greatness.

Below is the auction video of I'll Have Another from the 2010 Keeneland September Sale.

2012 Belmont Stakes Contenders: Five Sixteen

Horse: Five Sixteen
Trainer: Dominick Schettino
Pedigree: By Invasor (ARG) out of a Salt Lake mare (Third Street)
Career Record: 6-1-1-1
Career Earnings: $63,054
Notable Races: None

Can He Win The Belmont Stakes?

It's tough to find nuggets in the career of Five Sixteen that suggests he has a chance to pull an upset in the Belmont Stakes. A son of former Horse of the Year Invasor (ARG), it took Five Sixteen five tries to break his maiden, which he finally did in mid-March at Aqueduct. In his next and more recent start, Five Sixteen finished fourth beaten over 11 lengths against Allowance company. Making the jump from allowance ranks to graded stakes company is hard enough on its own. Trying to do it after losing badly and then facing the Derby and Preakness winner at a mile and a half in the Belmont is something more challenging.

In his fourth try to break his maiden, Five Sixteen finished third behind fellow Belmont Stakes rival Street Life in a mile and 70 yard race on the Aqueduct inner track.

If you're looking for something to hang your hat on with Five Sixteen you could take some solace in the fact that his owners saw enough talent in this colt to shell out $225,000 for him at the 2012 Keeneland September sale. Unfortunately for Five Sixteen and his connections, the winner of the Belmont won't be determined by how much money the horse sold for at auction.

2012 Belmont Stakes Contenders: I'll Have Another

Horse: I'll Have Another
Trainer: Doug O'Neill
Pedigree: By Flower Alley out of an Arch mare (Arch's Gal)
Career Record: 7-5-1-0
Career Earnings: $2,693,600
Notable Races: G1-Preakness (1^st); G1-Kentucky Derby (1^st); G1-Santa Anita Derby (1^st); G2-Robert Lewis Stakes (1^st); G1-Hopeful (6^th); G2-Best Pal (2^nd)

Can He Win The Triple Crown?

After sweeping the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness, I'll Have Another is just a mile and a half away from becoming the 12th Triple Crown winner in the history of American horse racing and the first since Affirmed in 1978.

Beyond the historical context, I'll Have Another is on quite a run of good form since the calendar turned over to 2012. He won the G2-Robert Lewis at odds of 43/1, the G1-Santa Anita Derby at 4/1, the Kentucky Derby at 15/1, and the Preakness at odds of 3/1. Astonishingly, I'll Have Another hasn't gone to post as a favorite in any race in 2012, or any in his entire career. Think about that. We could be on the verge of the first Triple Crown winner in over three decades and the Belmont Stakes will be the first race in which I'll Have Another will load into the starting gate as the betting favorite.

I'll Have Another has proved to be an extremely versatile colt over the course of his young career, winning races from five and a half furlongs up to the mile and a quarter Kentucky Derby. He's won while racing on the lead, just off the lead, and from further back of the pack. That versatility is the key to his chances in the Belmont because, like most horses in America, he's not really bred to love the mile and a half distance. If I'll Have Another can relax in the early stages, much like he has in all his starts in 2012, that will go a long way to putting him in an excellent position to end the Triple Crown drought.

Belmont Stakes 2012: Horses To Move In To 'Same Locker Room' By Wednesday

The Belmont Stakes is coming up this weekend and, in a move that isn't common, all of the race horses will move into the race's stakes barn by Wednesday afternoon and stay there until the day of the race.

There are obvious drawbacks, such as the issue of horses being spooked due to unfamiliar conditions, but I'll Have Another trainer Doug O'Neill is happy about the "transparency" of everything. In fact, he says it should add to some legitimacy for the sport of horse racing, according to comments transcribed by BloodHorse.com.

"I know the other guys will probably hate me for this, but I like the thought of showing the general public all the horses are in the same locker room, they're all being looked after real thoroughly," he said.

"Just the transparency that our game probably lacks is key. You get a lot of commentary from people who don't know the horses, who don't know the horsemen, and don't know how they're cared for. This way you have everyone in an isolated vicinity and everyone who wants to come and kind of watch what's going on there and make a judgment from what's really happening and not guessing what's going on in that guy's locker room or that guy's locker room. I think it's a good thing."

Whether this move really changes anything from a public perspective remains to be seen. At the very least, though, its positives seem to have some merit.

For more on the Belmont Stakes and the race for the Triple Crown, stay with this StoryStream and check out SB Nation's horse racing blog And Down The Stretch They Come. There, you'll also find a A Beginner's Guide To Following Horse Racing and a glossary of horse racing terms.

Triple Crown 2012: Doug O’Neill Confident About I'll Have Another's Chances

I'll Have Another has a chance to become the first Triple Crown winner in 34 years at the Belmont Stakes on Saturday, but his trainer Doug O'Neill hasn't been looking nervous, by all accounts. According to him, it's because his horse is looking good in training. I'll Have Another isn't doing a full workout before the Belmont Stakes, but O'Neill says he's seen enough to indicate that his horse is in good shape.

"I wouldn't be so upright if the horse wasn't doing so good. He's doing well. He's eating good. He looks well ... I'm very confident. Not cocky or arrogant, but confident."

I'll Have Another arrived at Belmont Park the day after the Preakness Stakes, and the fact that he's been training there and getting comfortable with the track ever since could be a big part of why O'Neill is so confident in his horse's chances to capture the Triple Crown.

For more on the Belmont Stakes and the race for the Triple Crown, stay with this StoryStream and check out SB Nation's horse racing blog And Down The Stretch They Come. There, you'll also find a A Beginner's Guide To Following Horse Racing and a glossary of horse racing terms.

Belmont Stakes 2012: Early Analysis And Pre-Draw Thoughts

The field for the 2012 Belmont Stakes won't be finalized until Wednesday, June 6^th when the entries and post positions are drawn, but we have a good enough idea of what the field is going to ultimately look like that we can start to form a few handicapping opinions. I'll Have Another's question for Triple Crown glory will face a serious challenge from a filed comprised of Kentucky Derby holdovers and new shooters.

The New Shooters

The Belmont Stakes will feature several new shooters to the Triple Crown, all of which are trying to play the spoiler role to I'll Have Another's quest for history. Like the Preakness a couple of weeks ago, most of the new shooters appear to be at a severe class disadvantage when compared to the Derby and Preakness winner, or even when compared to Triple Crown holdovers Union Rags and Dullahan. However, there are a few of new faces that players should definitely keep an eye on next Saturday.

Paynter: Trained by Bob Baffert and owned by Zayat Stables (the same combination as Derby and Preakness runner-up Bodemeister), Paynter looks like the most talented of the new shooters to grace the Belmont Stakes this year. His last two races were quite strong, including a second place finish in the one mile G3-Derby Trial at Churchill Downs in late April. Paynter dominated in his last start, taking a field of Allowance horses gate-to-wire at Pimlico on the Preakness undercard.

Paynter has displayed enough talent in his last three races to suggest that he's a legitimate upset threat to I'll Have Another in the Belmont. Three races back he was just 3 ¾ lengths behind I'll Have Another in the G1-Santa Anita Derby, so it's not a huge leap to think he might be able pose a significant challenge to the Derby and Preakness winner.

Atigun: Like Paynter, Atigun beat a field of Allowance horses in his last start after failing to qualify for the Kentucky Derby due to insufficient graded stakes earnings. Atigun is a "grinder" in every sense of the word; he doesn't have a ton of early speed and he doesn't possess a powerful late kick, but he can continue to gallop around the track and pick off tired horses in deep stretch. If his rivals start to hit the wall at the end of their mile and half journey in the Belmont, it's possible that Atigun could pick up the pieces in deep stetch.

Atigun doesn't look like a serious candidate to win the Belmont, but horses with his running style always pose an upset threat when there are questions of stamina in a race.

Mark Valeski: A nice looking colt that ran well in Louisiana this spring and recently won the G2-Peter Pan Stakes at Belmont in mid-May. Mark Valeski is one of the stronger colts of the new shooters but he's facing some severe distance limitations in his pedigree. Both Mark Valeski's sire (Proud Citizen) and dam sire (Fortunate Prospect) tend to produce offspring better suited for races between six furlongs and a mile. It might be asking a lot of this colt to stretch out to 12 furlongs in the Belmont.

Early Picks And Predictions

Regardless of the post position draw on Wednesday, we can feel confident in forecasting a soft early pace in Saturday's Belmont Stakes. Kentucky Derby and Preakness runner-up Bodemeister is skipping the Belmont, which leaves new shooter Unstoppable U as the only speed horse in the field. And while lone speed is always dangerous in American dirt racing, it's difficult to envision a scenario where Unstoppable U is able to take this Belmont field gate-to-wire for the victory.

The key to I'll Have Another's chances is the ability of jockey Mario Gutierrez to get his mount to relax in the early stages. Post position is almost irrelevant in the mile and a half Belmont; what's more important is a horse quickly settling into a good, relaxed rhythm in order to avoid wasting energy in the early stages. In both the Derby and Preakness, I'll Have Another was content to sit anywhere from three to eight lengths behind the early speed. In the Santa Anita Derby and Robert Lewis Stakes earlier this spring, I'll Have Another was only a couple of lengths behind the leaders.

The versatility that I'll Have Another has displayed in his previous races is what makes him such a difficult horse to defeat at this time. In a race at a mile and a half at Belmont Park - unquestionably the longest race that I'll Have Another and the rest of the field will ever run in their careers - the ability to relax early is paramount to success.

The only serious blemish on I'll Have Another's record was a 6^th place finish (beaten 19 lengths) in the G1-Hopeful Stakes at Saratoga last September. That race was run over a sloppy and sealed race track and is the only race of the colt's career where he raced over an off track. The weather, more than the other horses in the starting gate, could be a key factor whether I'll Have Another is able to win the Belmont Stakes.

On paper, I'll Have Another towers over the Belmont Stakes field; he's run the fastest races against the best competition and he's been as consistent as a horse can be over a period of four months. But as we've seen with the Triple Crown over the last three decades, they don't run the Belmont Stakes on paper. Kentucky Derby holdovers Union Rags and Dullahan are talented colts and both will be fresh after skipping the Preakness at Pimlico.

Belmont Stakes 2012: I'll Have Another Gallops, Other Horses Go For Training Runs

Some of the biggest contenders at the 2012 Belmont Stakes are posting impressive workouts in the week before the race. Dullahan, Paynter and Union Rags all ran various distances on Sunday in preparation for Saturday's big race. I'll Have Another, the horse gunning for the first Triple Crown victory since 1978, is taking things a bit easier so far.

The Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner went for his usual gallop on Sunday. He was also taken to the paddock where he'll be saddled before the race to get acquainted. His trainer Doug O'Neill was happy with what he saw on Sunday, claiming that I'll Have Another "continues his great energy and great stride, and I'm very happy with the way he looked today.''

Dullahan, the second favorite to win the race, ran four furlongs on Sunday. Union Rags ran five furlongs, while Paynter did a longer run at seven furlongs.

For more on the Belmont Stakes and the race for the Triple Crown, stay with this StoryStream and check out SB Nation's horse racing blog And Down The Stretch They Come. There, you'll also find a A Beginner's Guide To Following Horse Racing and a glossary of horse racing terms.

2012 Belmont Stakes: TV And Race Schedule For The Week (Updated)

The 2012 Belmont Stakes the biggest race of the year, as I'll Have Another attempts to exorcise more than three decades of demons by becoming the first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed in 1978. In anticipation of I'll Have Another's shot at history, NBC, HRTV and TVG are all devoting significant coverage in the run-up to Saturday's Belmont. Additionally, all three networks will provide on-track coverage from Belmont Park on both Friday and Saturday.

Below is a summary of the broadcast schedule leading up to Saturday's Belmont Stakes, along with the tentative race schedule, post times and conditions for Friday and Saturday's cards at Belmont Park (all times Eastern). In addition to the big race on Saturday, Belmont Park will feature six graded stakes races, including the Grade 1 Just A Game and Grade 1 Manhattan Handicap.

UPDATE: Friday's card at Belmont Park is now set.

Triple Crown 2012: Bill Clinton Predicts I'll Have Another Belmont Victory

He's no psychic, or even Hank Goldberg, but when former U.S President Bill Clinton speaks, people listen. That's why when, at a recent dinner at The Meadowlands in East Rutherford, N.J., Clinton predicted the first Triple Crown since Affirmed in 1978, it's newsworthy (we swear).

From the Associated Press:

Clinton said I'll Have Another "looked like he had some juice left at the end of both those races, but the real wild card, I think, is the horse that finished third in the Derby, what's his name? The Irish name? Dullahan.''

Astute analysis from the former President. In all honesty, Dullahan has been terrific in pre-race workouts and looks like the primary challenger with Derby and Preakness runner-up Bodemeister not running in the Belmont. I'll Have Another specializes in the late-race comeback, and the Belmont just happens to be the longest of the three Triple Crown races, so William Jefferson could be on to something here.

For more on the Belmont Stakes and the race for the Triple Crown, stay with this StoryStream and check out SB Nation's horse racing blog And Down The Stretch They Come. There, you'll also find a A Beginner's Guide To Following Horse Racing and a glossary of horse racing terms.

For more on Dullahan, watch his story, via SB Nation's YouTube channel.

2012 Belmont Stakes: Dullahan Fast In Final Practice

The task before the horses entered in the 2012 Belmont Stakes is a simple one: figure out how on Earth to beat I'll Have Another, who is angling for the first Triple Crown in more than 30 years. Working fast in practice might help.

The horse doing that in final workouts on Sunday morning was Dullahan, who breezed four furlongs in 45.97 seconds and two furlongs in 22.2 seconds, then galloped out five furlongs in 58.91 seconds.

According to BloodHorse.com, Dullahan "breezed so easily it looked as if he was going much slower than he actually was." That's a good sign, probably.

For more on the Belmont Stakes and the race for the Triple Crown, stay with this StoryStream and check out SB Nation's horse racing blog And Down The Stretch They Come. There, you'll also find a A Beginner's Guide To Following Horse Racing and a glossary of horse racing terms.

And for more on Dullahan, watch his story, via SB Nation's YouTube channel.

Belmont Stakes 2012: Mario Gutierrez Prepping For Belmont

With less than a week to go until the 2012 Belmont Stakes, all eyes are on Triple Crown hopeful I'll Have Another. While the Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner has been training well, his jockey, Mario Gutierrez will now begin preparing for the Belmont.

Gutierrez, who has never raced at Belmont Park, will arrive at the track early this week and race in as many as 10 races during the next seven days in order to prepare for the Saturday's Belmont Stakes. To ensure Gutierrez can get in enough races, I'll Have Another owner Paul Reddam said he would invest in a horse and enter it in the Brooklyn Handicap. The Brooklyn Handicap is a 1 1/2 mile race, the same length as the Belmont Stakes.

For more on the Belmont Stakes and the race for the Triple Crown, stay with this StoryStream and check out SB Nation's horse racing blog And Down The Stretch They Come. There, you'll also find a A Beginner's Guide To Following Horse Racing and a glossary of horse racing terms.

Belmont Stakes 2012: I'll Have Another Trains Well Despite Muddy Track

In just one week, I'll Have Another will make his bid to become the 12th Triple Crown winner in the history of horse racing. The Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner was transported to Long Island right after his win at Pimlico and has been training well at Belmont Park. He put in some work on a muddy track Saturday morning, but trainer Doug O'Neill said the muddy circumstances did not seem to affect his training routine. Via AP:

Overnight rain of 1 1-2 inches left the track a bit muddy, but I'll Have Another did fine in going through a "normal routine." Says O'Neill: "We were on a very nice, safe, fresh track, and I'll Have Another galloped like a champ over it."

Of course the biggest news of the weekend on the island took place Friday night less than 15 miles away, where Johan Santana threw the first no-hitter in Mets history. O'Neill was sporting a Mets cap during the Saturday morning training session, which he said was given to him by the barn security guard.

For more on the Belmont Stakes and the race for the Triple Crown, stay with this StoryStream and check out SB Nation's horse racing blog And Down The Stretch They Come. There, you'll also find a A Beginner's Guide To Following Horse Racing and a glossary of horse racing terms.

2012 Belmont Stakes: Optimizer To Arrive Tuesday

As the trainers prepare their horses for the Belmont Stakes and I'll Have Another vies for the vaunted Triple Crown, there's only one other horse who will race in all three legs of the Triple Crown. That horse, Optimizer, is scheduled to arrive at Belmont Plaza on Tuesday.

"I'm not going into the race thinking about possibly being a spoiler," Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas said on Friday. "It's a very important race, and I'm in it to win it."

Optimizer has improved in each race since the Kentucky Derby, where it finished 11th. In the Preakness, Optimizer finished sixth. With continued improvement at that rate, it could show or place in the Belmont Stakes.

For more on the Belmont Stakes and the race for the Triple Crown, stay with this StoryStream and check out SB Nation's horse racing blog And Down The Stretch They Come. There, you'll also find a A Beginner's Guide To Following Horse Racing and a glossary of horse racing terms.

Belmont Stakes 2012: I'll Have Another Training Well

With the Belmont Stakes one week away, Triple Crown hopeful I'll Have Another is training well and, more importantly, staying healthy.

The Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner faced a scare during practice Thursday when a loose horse nearly collided with him during a training session. As Matt Gardner from SB Nation's horseracing blog, And Down The Stretch They Come, notes in this video preview, staying injury free and maintaining his usual training schedule may be the biggest key for I'll Have Another's Triple Crown hopes.

As Gardner mentions, I'll Have Another has been training at the Belmont Park track for more than a week. While other Belmont Stakes contenders arrived later in the week, trainer Doug O'Neill moved I'll Have Another early to allow him to get used to the conditions. I'll Have Another has also managed to stay healthy, despite the training scare. An injury could have been a factor in derailing Big Brown's Triple Crown hopes in 2008.

I'll Have Another will have one final week of training before he runs for the Triple Crown in the Belmont Stakes June 9.

For more on the world of horse racing, visit And Down The Stretch They Come and stay tuned to this StoryStream.

2012 Belmont Stakes: Dullahan Trainer Upset With New Rules

Perhaps it's attributable to three weeks of build up before the race, but some Belmont Stakes' horse owners are finding the time to speak out against new state-impose rule changes.

Today, Dale Romans, owner of Dullahan, told the Associated Press his feelings regarding stricter drug enforcement and the rule requiring all participating horses to spend the final three days before next Saturday's third leg of the Triple Crown in a new detention barn.

"[The New York State Racing and Wagering Board] thinks we're all crooks," said Romans. "[Horses] are not cars that you can just go and move from one garage to the next. These are creatures of habit. They like being where they are."

On Thursday, the NYSRW announced that a "detention barn" would open for all horses participating in the Belmont Stakes on Tuesday.

Dullahan finished third in the 2012 Kentucky Derby, and arrived in Belmont earlier this week after training in Louisville's Churchill Downs.

The horse did not participate in the Preakness Stakes.

Romans added that while he thinks the forced relocation to a new barn early next week will aggravate Dullahan, he does not expect it to actually affect the outcome of the race.

Doug O'Neill, the trainer for race favorite and Triple Crown chasing I'll Have Another, expects to move his horse to a new barn on Monday.

For more on the world of horse racing, visit And Down The Stretch They Come and stay tuned to this StoryStream.

2012 Belmont Stakes: Alpha Withdraws From Race With Fever

Alpha wasn't a contender at the Kentucky Derby, finishing in 12th, and won't even compete at the Belmont Stakes, because his owners will pull him from the race due to a fever.

The horse had a fever of 103 degrees on May 29, which is ... wait, do horses have the same temperatures as people? Hold on just a second here (googles "horse average temperature") ... two-to-four degrees higher than normal for a horse. Although the colt recovered, his trainer, Kiaran McLaughlin, doesn't feel comfortable with him running next Saturday.

"He was fine by 11 p.m. that evening after treatment, fine yesterday, and he's fine today, but it's too high a temperature too close to the race," McLaughlin said. "It's unfortunate."

The Godolphin Racing horse had been successful previously at Belmont, coming in second in the Resorts World New York City Wood Memorial Stakes, and had won two previous races in the Count Fleet and the Withers before his also-ran performance at the Derby. He probably wasn't going to interfere with I'll Have Another's quest for a Triple Crown, but it's horse racing, and you never know. Unfortunate for the horse's owners and trainers.

For more on the world of horse racing, visit And Down The Stretch They Come and stay tuned to this StoryStream.

Belmont Stakes 2012: I'll Have Another Avoids Freak Training Accident

The horse with a shot at the first Triple Crown since Affirmed almost saw its Belmont Stakes hopes dashed a week and a half before the event, as a riderless horse nearly crashed into I'll Have Another during a training walk.

The Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner was walking a few feet off the outside rail when Isleta, a three-year-old maiden filly, came sprinting by. The horse had shook its rider and charged just to the right of I'll Have Another, grazing the boot of exercise rider Jonny Garcia.

Daily Racing Form had a slideshow of the near miss and an interview with trainer Doug O'Neill:

The fact that the horse was able to avoid the fluke is crucial. Racehorses aren't supposed to run at full speed into each other, and whatever injury I'll Have Another would have sustained if it had been clipped would have probably knocked the horse out of the race and ruined its shot at a Triple Crown, or caused more dire medical consequences. Nobody would've liked to see that, least of all O'Neill. Hopefully, the horse can avoid any other random unseemly situations and run healthily in the Belmont Stakes.

Ed. note: This is just a crazy photo of the riderless horse:

For more on the world of horse racing, visit And Down The Stretch They Come and stay tuned to this StoryStream.

Belmont Stakes 2012: Strict Testing, Security Policies Reportedly Aimed At Doug O'Neill

With three weeks in between the Preakness and Belmont, the media has plenty of opportunities to put I'll Have Another's bid for the Triple Crown under intense study. Most of the scrutiny is targeted at the horse's trainer, Doug O'Neill, who has a history of doping violations and received a 45-day suspension from California horse racing regulators during the weeks between the second and final leg of the Triple Crown.

With O'Neill's questionable history, New York state racing officials are taking extraordinary steps to test and secure his horses prior to the Belmont, according to Joe Drape of The New York Times. Drape and The Times obtained an email that indicates these measures are specifically targeted at O'Neill, and they're quite rigorous:

Among the requirements for O'Neill, according to a confidential e-mail obtained by The New York Times, are that his horses cannot in any way be treated "without a board investigator present," and that he should not allow treatment of any of his horses "by mouth or in feed without conferring with a board investigator, who will first log the treatment and discuss the reason(s) for treatment."

O'Neill must also provide veterinary records for I'll Have Another and any other horses he may be running over those days at Belmont "no later than 10 a.m." each day after any treatment.

In addition to the constant monitoring, all the horses will be kept in a single barn with significant security. The horses will be guarded with only a limited number of pre-determined people allowed to visit, and each visit will be logged.

For more on the world of horse racing, visit And Down The Stretch They Come and stay tuned to this StoryStream.

2012 Belmont Stakes: Owner Of Affirmed Ready To Relinquish Triple Crown Torch

I'll Have Another is looking to become the first winner of horse racing's Triple Crown since 1978 with a victory at the 2012 Belmont Stakes on June 9. Patrice Wolfson owned Affirmed when the horse took the title 34 years ago. She said in a national teleconference that I'll Have Another is more than worthy of succeeding her horse's legacy.

"There were years I felt it wasn't the right time to relinquish (the title of ‘last Triple Crown winner')," Wolfson said. "But I think the time is right. This little guy (I'll Have Another) would be a worthy successor. He's very tenacious in the stretch, he strides out beautifully in his gallops, and is a very exciting horse to watch. There's something about him that reminds me a little of Affirmed, the way he wants to win. I just think it's time. Racing needs a star and he could be a star."

Steve Cauthren, who rode Affirmed into the record books, agreed with Wolfson while praising the team surrounding I'll Have Another.

"I'm ready to pass it on," Cauthren said. "They have a great team and I've been very impressed with Doug O'Neill. His jockey, Mario Gutierrez, is a great kid and I admire his confidence and the way he's always relaxed. So, I'm rooting for them and I hope all goes well. I think the whole racing world is dying to have another great horse come along and capture their hearts."

For more on the world of horse racing, visit And Down The Stretch They Come and stay tuned to this StoryStream.

Triple Crown 2012: I'll Have Another's Doug O'Neill Meets With Seattle Slew Trainer Billy Turner

The 2012 Belmont Stakes could see history happen on June 9, should I'll Have Another complete the Triple Crown circuit with a victory, but that has been said for many other horses since Affirmed won it in 1978. However, trainer Doug O'Neill turned to Seattle Slew's trainer, Billy Turner, for advice on Tuesday while at Belmont Park. I'll Have Another's team already has the horse running the track at Belmont, which was Turner's main advice to them.

Turner, who guided Seattle Slew to the 1977 Triple Crown, noted that the two horses don't have much in common. Seattle Slew was stubborn whereas I'll Have Another needs little coaxing to do what is asked:

“Both are beautiful movers,” Turner said. “As far as their attitudes and so forth, Slew was a bear of a hose [sic]. This horse seems to do what you ask him to do and he likes to do it, and that’s just the kind of horse you like to train. Slew was a lot of work.”

Will I'll Have Another be able to join Seattle Slew in such elite company? We'll find out in less than two weeks.

For more on the world of horse racing, visit And Down The Stretch They Come and stay tuned to this StoryStream.

2012 Belmont Stakes: I'll Have Another Will Race Without Nasal Strip

I'll Have Another will have to race without a nasal strip at the 2012 Belmont Stakes. He has worn the strip in each of his last seven races, but the minor piece of equipment is banned at New York Racing Association tracks. Trainer Doug O'Neill wasn't worried at all about the potential impact on his horse's chances to win the triple crown.

"We understand that this is the rule in New York and we'll follow the rules," O'Neill said. "But it will be a zero issue. He's a freak. You could put a blindfold on him, and he'll run his race. This will be his first race without one, but he'll be fine."

Equipment state regulation 4033.8 states that "only equipment specifically approved by the stewards shall be worn or carried by a jockey or a horse in a race." The New York State Racing and Wagering Board actually approved the strips back in 1999, but the next month the NYRA maintained the ban when the regulation was re-evaluated.

The strips reportedly help reduce bleeding in horses by supporting soft nasal tissue during exercise. The strips aren't banned in other states, and have never been an issue during human sporting events.

For more on the world of horse racing, visit And Down The Stretch They Come and stay tuned to this StoryStream.

Belmont Stakes 2012: I'll Have Another Team To Throw Out First Pitch At Yankees Game

I'll Have Another will attempt to be the first Triple Crown winner in more than 30 years when he runs at the Belmont Stakes, but his handlers are certainly enjoying the notoriety of being attached to the horse that has captured the nation's imagination.

Head trainer Doug O'Neill, jockey Mario Gutierrez and owner Paul Reddam have been invited to throw out the ceremonial first pitch at a game between the New York Yankees and New York Mets at Yankee Stadium on Friday, June 8, the Associated Press reports.

"What a huge honor it is," O'Neill said at a news conference May 28 at Belmont Park. "That should be a blast."

While I'll Have Another may not win the Triple Crown, his team has already notched their own triple crown of ceremonial first pitches; Gutierrez threw out the first pitch at a recent Los Angeles Dodgers game and O'Neill did the same at a Baltimore Orioles game.

For more on the world of horse racing, visit And Down The Stretch They Come and stay tuned to this StoryStream.

Belmont Stakes 2012: A Peek Into The Morning Routine Of I'll Have Another

With a win at the 2012 Belmont Stakes, I'll Have Another would become the first horse to win the triple crown since Affirmed in 1978. Routine is key when preparing for a big race. Judging by this look into the horse's morning schedule, it appears I'll Have Another's trainers are doing everything they can to make the horse as comfortable as possible.

Via Andy Scoggin.

Trainer Doug O'Neill spoke after the morning session, and expressed even more confidence in his horse.

"He looked great. He did his normal (routine). He jogged a half-mile and then galloped around a mile. He's maintained his energy level and his stride. He looked fantastic. He's fit, we just need to stay lucky and stay injury free."

For more on the 2012 Belmont Stakes and I'll Have Another's run for the Triple Crown, visit And Down The Stretch They Come and stay tuned to this StoryStream.

2012 Belmont Stakes: Mario Gutierrez Working With Jerry Bailey To Prepare For Belmont

While the lead up to the Belmont Stakes has focused on the preparations of I'll Have Another, the Triple Crown hopeful isn't the only one preparing. Mario Gutierrez, who rode I'll Have Another to wins in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, is going through some special preparations of his own.

Gutierrez will be working with retired Hall of Fame jockey Jerry Bailey to prepare for the Belmont. The two will ride around the Belmont Park track together to help Gutierrez learn the nuances of the track. Bailey is a two-time Belmont winner, first in 1991 with Hansel then again in 2003 with Empire Maker. The practice sessions were set up by I'll Have Another's trainer Doug O'Neill.

Gutierrez is attempting to guide I'll Have Another to the first Triple Crown since 1978.

For more on the 2012 Belmont Stakes and I'll Have Another's run for the Triple Crown, visit And Down The Stretch They Come and stay tuned to this StoryStream.

2012 Belmont Stakes: I'll Have Another's Unconventional Training

Here's a good tidbit on I'll Have Another's training for the 2012 Belmont Stakes: Trainer Doug O'Neill will prepare I'll Have Another for his Triple Crown try with strong gallups instead of formal workouts.

It's an unconventional training method, but it could make a big difference given the unique challenge presented by the track at Belmont Park. At 1 1/2 miles, the Belmont Stakes is the longest of the Triple Crown races, and the previous three Triple Crown winners — Secretariat (1973), Seattle Slew (1977) and Affirmed (1978) — all worked at least one mile to prepare for the grueling distance.

O'Neill told the Associated Press that the training suits the style of his horse.

"If anyone got a chance to see him," he said,"he stretches and puts a lot of effort into his gallops."

O'Neill spoke to reporters after flying in from the West Coast to begin Belmont Stakes training, and he seems undeterred by the 45-day suspension he will face from the California racing board after the big race.

The 144th running of the Belmont Stakes will be held at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y. on Saturday, June 9.

For more on the world of horse racing, visit And Down The Stretch They Come and stay tuned to this StoryStream.

Belmont Stakes 2012: I'll Have Another Preparing Well

The Belmont Stakes is still two weeks away, but Triple Crown hopeful I'll Have Another continues to prepare at the Belmont Park track.

The Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner galloped just under a mile on Saturday, the second consecutive day I'll Have Another worked out on the Belmont Park main track. I'll Have Another is attempting to become 12th Triple Crown winner and the first since Affirmed in 1978.

I'll Have Another's main competition in the Belmont may come from Dullahan, who finished third in the Kentucky Derby. He's been preparing for the Belmont at Churchill Downs, but finished his final workout Saturday, before heading to New York.

Bodemeister, who finished second to I'll Have Another in both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, will not run in the Belmont Stakes.

For more on the world of horse racing, visit And Down The Stretch They Come and stay tuned to this StoryStream.

2012 Belmont Stakes: I'll Have Another Trainer Doug O'Neill To Be Suspended After Race

I'll Have Another is attempting to become the first horse since 1978 to win the Triple Crown when he runs in the Belmont Stakes next week. Luckily, horses are not easily distracted by off-track legal proceedings. I'll Have Another's trainer, Doug O'Neill, has been suspended by the California racing board because of elevated carbon dioxide detected in another horse, Argenta.

According to the Associated Press, O'Neill will be suspended for 45 days and will be fined $15,000. The suspension will not take effect until after the Belmont Stakes, meaning O'Neill will be able to be present and active when I'll Have Another makes a run at history.

While O'Neill was found to not have personally tampered with Argenta, he was suspended because, as head trainer, he is ultimately responsible for horses under his care.

While elevated carbon dioxide is associated with "milkshaking," the officer agreed with O'Neill that his horse Argenta had not been fed a mixture of bicarbonate of soda, sugar and electrolytes that enhances performance and combats fatigue. The officer did not indicate what might have caused the overage.

"I'm gratified that the CHRB found that I did not "milkshake'' a horse or engage in any intentional conduct that would result in an elevated TC02 level," O'Neill said.

"I know I didn't milkshake a horse. None of us around the barn milkshaked any horses," O'Neill said Wednesday. "You got to have rules and I respect rules, but when you get faulty science involved, it costs a lot of money unfortunately, but you've got to fight it and that's what we're doing."

O'Neill says that he may plan an appeal at a later time, but for now is focusing all of his energy on I'll Have Another and the Belmont Stakes.

You can find the press release of O'Neill's suspension decision here.

For more on the world of horse racing, visit And Down The Stretch They Come and stay tuned to this StoryStream.

Belmont Stakes 2012: Dullahan Fresh To Make A Run

Trainer Dale Romans was initially upset that Dullahan was skipping The Preakness, as the colt was coming off a third-place finish in the Kentucky Derby and Romans felt the horse could make a push. With skipping the race however, it seems like Romans feels Dullahan will be more fresh than some of the other horses, giving the colt an advantage.

"I did want to run in the Preakness," Romans told Marty McGree of The Racing Form Saturday morning at Churchill Downs. "But Jerry said no, and in hindsight, I think he made the right call. We've got a fresh horse for the Belmont, and I couldn't be happier with how he's doing."

Dullahan is expected to be one of the top wagering choices for the Belmont right behind favorite I'll Have Another.

For more on the world of horse racing, visit And Down The Stretch They Come and stay tuned to this StoryStream.

Belmont Stakes 2012: I'll Have Another Looks For Triple Crown

I'll Have Another will try to win the first Triple Crown in three decades at the 2012 Belmont Stakes.