Doug O’Neill has his own philosophy when comes to preparing I’ll Have Another for the Belmont Stakes
Trainer Doug O’Neill isn’t fancying the tried and tested ways of winning the Grade 1, $1 million Belmont Stakes, as the “Test of Champion” will commence on 9 June, 2012, at Belmont Park, where his Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner, I’ll Have Another,
will bid for the Triple Crown.
The past winners of the Triple Crown like Secretariat, Seattle Slew, and Affirmed, all turned in drills going over a distance of 1 mile, but O’Neill is not backing tradition, instead ready to put together a series of strong gallops ahead of the 1 ½ mile
marathon at the Big Sandy.
“There will be a lot of days when I’ll Have Another, strictly galloping, will pass a lot of workers,” O’Neill said May 27.
The decision was solely based on, how I’ll Have Another turned up to the track in his morning gallops. He has been displaying immense enthusiasm, and the vigor in his gallops is all what a trainer needs to see ahead of the most crucial race of both their
careers.
“If anyone got a chance to see him, he stretches and puts a lot of effort into his morning gallops,” he said.
J. Paul Reddam’s I’ll Have Another is a 3-year-old Flower Alley colt, and the Kentucky bred arrived the next day after reeling in the monster, Bodemeister, to win the Grade 1, $1 million Preakness Stakes at Pimlico on 19 May, 2012.
Since then, I’ll Have Another’s energy levels have been on the high, and his trainer observed that in the colt’s morning gallops – which are stronger than usual, and he puts a lot in them.
O’Neill need not to overburden I’ll Have Another by mixing gallops with strong drills, which might affect his performance negatively in the upcoming Belmont Stakes due to fatigue.
Out of Arch mare Arch’s Gal Edith, I’ll Have Another hasn’t had any injury issues since he pulled out of his juvenile season after incurring a shin problem in the Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes, where he finished sixth, but in terms of a freshness standpoint, the
colt is ready for the challenge.
Tags: