Triple Crown Within Reach for I'll Have Another

Derby winner I'll Have Another's surprising run to history has one more hurdle--the Belmont Stakes--after its Saturday win at the Preakness, beating out Bodemeister, the popular pick among most race aficionados. 

"We're thinking Triple Crown, baby," trainer Doug O'Neill told the Associated Press. "He's a special horse. We'll see how he comes out of it, and if he comes out of it in good shape, we're heading to New York, baby."

The colt has made a habit out of snatching victory in the closing stretches of races, as it did the same to Bodemeister during the Kentucky Derby earlier this month. Creative Cause was the victim of I'll Have Another's signature clutch run at Arcadia's very own

But Belmont Stakes history has not favored past Triple Crown hopefuls. According to AP, Affirmed was the last Triple Crown horse, and that was 34 years ago. Since then, 11 horses have won the first two legs only be stopped in their tracks at the Belmont Stakes. In 2008, Big Brown pulled up around the turn for home and did not finish. In 2004, Birdstone bested Smarty Jones in Belmont's the final 70 yards.

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