I’ll Have Another in New York – as Baffert had enough of finishing second to the winner
Bob Baffert trained, Bodemeister, who had a second agonizing loss to I’ll Have Another had made Baffert say enough is enough, and he is taking the son of Empire Maker out of the third and final jewel of the Triple Crown.
“I’ve had enough,” Baffert quipped.
Meanwhile, the Grade 1, $2 million Kentucky Derby and the Grade 1, $1 million Preakness Stakes winner, I’ll Have Another has a date with racing history and his journey for ultimate glory began when he got into the van on the morning of 20 May to head to Belmont Park to run in the 1 ½ mile Grade 1, $1 million Belmont Stakes on 9 June, 2012.
Doug O’Neill’s training assistant, Jack Sisterson said that the Triple Crown contender son of Flower Alley came out of the race well and happy, and on the van he was looking out of the window with O’Neill’s barn’s leading pony, Lava Man.
J. Paul Reddam’s I’ll Have Another shipped to Churchill Downs a week before the Kentucky Derby and for the Preakness Stakes the 3-year-old colt was at Pimlico two weeks before the race, and now for the Belmont Stakes the Kentucky bred is at New York three weeks before the race.
"It’s kind of working out for us, so we’re not going to change that. I think the sooner he gets over the track and gets familiar with the surroundings. We’ll walk him tomorrow and then take it from there. One day at a time.”
Out of Arch mare Arch’s Gal Edith, I’ll Have Another has already completed a rare feat by winning the Santa Anita Derby, Kentucky Derby and now the Preakness Stakes, and will now go all out for the most treasured prize on June 9.
O’Neill is ready for the challenge, and says the 1 ½ mile distance of the Belmont Stakes - the longest of any Triple Crown legs – should not be a problem, because he has a lot of stamina from his mother’s side.
“My dreams always ended with winning the Kentucky Derby,” he said. “They never were followed up with winning the Preakness and going to the Belmont. That’s a new dream now I’m waiting to pull off.”
Tags: