Eleven to go against I’ll Have Another as post draws and odds revealed in Belmont on 6 June
There were a total of 12 horses entered on 6 June, 2012, to run in the Grade 1, $1 million Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park – which will decide whether, I’ll Have Another becomes the 12th Triple Crown winner or not. He will go against, some familiar, some new, 11 challengers over a distance of 1 ½ miles.
Doug O’Neill trained 3-year-old colt, I’ll Have Another, drew post number 11, and will be sent as the 4 to 5 favourite at the morning line. The Flower Alley colt will be once again accompanied by jockey Mario Gutierrez.
D. Wayne Lukas trained, Optimizer, is the only horse other than I’ll Have Another, who has run all three Triple Crown races this year, and he will break right alongside I’ll Have Another in post number 10, with a 20 to 1 shot at the Belmont Stakes.
The son of English Channel finished eleventh in the Derby and is now exiting a 6th place finish in the Preakness Stakes.
Dale Romans trained son of Even the Score, Dullahan, haven’t raced since his one and a half length defeat in the Kentucky Derby in third to winner I’ll Have Another, returns in the Belmont Stakes to take his revenge.
Dullahan is 5 to 1 second choice at the morning line. He will be ridden by Javier Castellano, and the duo will break from post number 5, as he did in the Kentucky Derby.
Bob Baffert trained, Paynter, who is expected to sizzle at Belmont on 9 June has been declared as the 8 to 1 choice, and he will break from post number 9 under jockey Mike Smith.
The son of Awesome Again, who has run once against I’ll Have Another and finished fourth, only 3 ¾ lengths off the runner in the Santa Anita Derby is coming off a massive win in allowance race on Preakness Day at Pimlico. He also finished second in the Derby Trial.
The runners, who haven’t featured in either the Kentucky Derby or the Preakness Stakes are Five Sixteen (post number 7), Atigun (post number 4), Street Life got the rail, Unstoppable U( post number 2), Ravelo’s Boy (post number 6), Guyana Star Dweej (post number 8), and My Adonis on the far outside at post number 12.
The Chad Brown trained son of Street Sense, Street Life will be sent at 12 to 1, while Kenneth McPeek’s duo Unstoppable U and Atigun will be both be sent at 30 to 1.
Alex Solis takes the ride on Ravelo’s Boy for trainer Manuel Azpurua, and the colt is as long as 50 to 1, in the same bracket with Five Sixteen, and Guyana Star Dweej.
Michael Matz trained Union Rags drew post number 3 at 6 to 1, and will be ridden by new jockey, John Velazquez. The son of Dixie Union did participate in the Kentucky Derby, and after a troubled trip finished seventh.
"Obviously we've been a little disappointed but we feel that Union Rags hasn't really run his race (this year)," said owner Phyllis Wyeth. "We think he can do the mile-and-a-half and he's training vey, very, well. We're all very confident."
The “Test of the Champion” this year will be a true test for I’ll Have Another to win the Triple Crown, and kill a 34 year long drought since Affirmed in 1978, and same goes to the rest of the field, to show if they have it in them to stop the rampant colt and extend the drought to a year. All in all it will be a tenacious contest, with challenges flying in left right and center – a great watch for the spectators indeed.
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