ELMONT, N.Y. - I'll Have Another walked the barn area Saturday morning stretching his legs, showing no sign of the injured tendon that cost him a chance at the Triple Crown.
I'll Have Another spent won't be chasing Triple Crown history Saturday, but he was still one of the star attractions at the Belmont.
The colt stopped and posed for photos with his groom. Of course, trainer Doug O'Neill had hoped those commemorative photos would take place later in the winner's circle, not Barn 9.
The colt was not the only one experiencing an unusual day at Belmont Park.
At first it was decided the colt, ridden by Gutierrez, would lead the post parade on the track before the Belmont Stakes. Instead, he'll now get a ceremonial retirement in the winner's circle after the Woodford Reserve Manhattan race is run. He'll be led by a groom, and O'Neill will remove his saddle.
"We felt that this would be a fitting ceremonial retirement for an incredible racehorse," O'Neill said. "There are many fans who traveled from near and far to see I'll Have Another today, and we wanted to give them a chance to help us send him off to retirement."
Like I'll Have Another, Gutierrez remains a rock star at Belmont Park. Fans screamed words of encouragement at him as reporters stood five deep to interview him.
Everyone, especially Gutierrez, still wants to talk about the horse that captured the attention of the nation.
"I was 100% confident in my horse. A lot of people didn't believe in him since the Santa Anita Derby, the Kentucky Derby, everything was going to be such a huge deal for him and he proved them wrong," he said. "I know if he was 100% today, he would prove everybody wrong again."
Gutierrez got one last look at the Belmont Park from atop a race horse when he rode Politicallycorrect in the sixth race. The crowd rose to its feet as he took the lead in the stretch. But this time the jockey who won the Derby and Preakness by running down other horses, got run down himself.
The favorite Teeth of the Dog easily crossed the line first and then Fast Falcon nipped Politicallycorrect at the wire for second.
Gutierrez will return to Los Angeles on Sunday but not before he watches the Belmont. He says he will "wish everybody the best luck, to the jockeys and hope everything goes well and o the other horses. May the best horse win today."
Everything is forced to adapt when there is no Triple Crown to be won:
• Crowds for the last four Triple Crown tries have ranged from 94,000 to 122,000. In other years the numbers are between 40,000 and 60,000. Tickets are non-refundable, and any hospitality package had to be canceled 72 hours in advance.
• The top two betting days of the Belmont Stakes were in 2004 and 2008, both over $4 million on track in Triple Crown years. Even the betting itself changed, I'll Have Another was a 4-5 favorite with Dullahan at 5-1 and Union Rags at 6-1. When the favorite bowed out, Dullahan was made the 9-5 favorite with Union Rags dropping to 3-1. Dale Romans, trainer of Dullahan, has had his day changed with the scratch. He called the injury "devastating" and said the thrill was in the chase. "It would have been something special to beat him."
• Since 2000 Belmont Stakes races without a Triple Crown average 4% of the TV households; those with a Triple Crown bid are up at 10.1%, equal to many NFL games, a Masters' Sunday and a BCS title game.
O'Neill, who typically arrives at his barn with the sun trailed by a gaggle of reporters, was a no-show Saturday. He opted for breakfast with his family instead. But O'Neill would have not have missed a lot of people. Throughout the morning there were never more than four or five reporters waiting for him. In fact, the entire Belmont backstretch did not have the feel of anticipation that had been there previously.
Ken Daigle and his girlfriend Bonnie McAllen were coming from Milford, Conn., no matter what. They said they "were not so disappointed" after I'll Have Another scratched because the "odds got a little more even."
But Andy Black of Manchester, N.H., was like O'Neill — a no-show. He planned to attend the Belmont with nine friends but reversed his plans when I'll Have Another scratched. He opted for a trip to Massachusetts instead.
"I was looking forward to it so much," Black said. "His Preakness was impressive. I wanted to see history. It's a terrible letdown."
Linda Hutchison and her sister Debbie Gunyon decided to make it to Belmont anyway after arriving from Kokomo, Ind. They were on hand Friday when I'll Have Another jockey Mario Gutierrez finished seventh in the Brooklyn Handicap and cheered him on from the railing.
As Gutierrez scooted away with the press trailing him, Hutchison yelled out "the poor kid has to be so bummed out."
As were she and Gunyon: "We drove all the way from Indiana just to see a Triple Crown."
But fans are nothing if not resilient, and many decided to make the most of a Belmont Saturday. "I am glad the horse is okay, and I'm happy to be at Belmont," Gunyon said. "I will cry later. If I win a lot of money then I'll laugh."
Like other sports fanatics, Black, however, is switching his loyalties.
"Now I get to see the Celtics-Heat Game 7 and most importantly as a hockey fan, all those former Manchester Monarchs playing for the Los Angeles King against New Jersey in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup final," he said. "Also, I won't be stuck in traffic driving back to New Hampshire."
By Brad Penner, US Presswire
I'll Have Another spent won't be chasing Triple Crown history Saturday, but he was still one of the star attractions at the Belmont.
I'll Have Another spent won't be chasing Triple Crown history Saturday, but he was still one of the star attractions at the Belmont.
The colt stopped and posed for photos with his groom. Of course, trainer Doug O'Neill had hoped those commemorative photos would take place later in the winner's circle, not Barn 9.
The colt was not the only one experiencing an unusual day at Belmont Park.
- [h=3]BLOG: I'll Have Another gets retirement ceremony[/h]
- [h=3]BLOG: Gutierrez rides at Belmont one more time[/h]
At first it was decided the colt, ridden by Gutierrez, would lead the post parade on the track before the Belmont Stakes. Instead, he'll now get a ceremonial retirement in the winner's circle after the Woodford Reserve Manhattan race is run. He'll be led by a groom, and O'Neill will remove his saddle.
"We felt that this would be a fitting ceremonial retirement for an incredible racehorse," O'Neill said. "There are many fans who traveled from near and far to see I'll Have Another today, and we wanted to give them a chance to help us send him off to retirement."
Like I'll Have Another, Gutierrez remains a rock star at Belmont Park. Fans screamed words of encouragement at him as reporters stood five deep to interview him.
Everyone, especially Gutierrez, still wants to talk about the horse that captured the attention of the nation.
"I was 100% confident in my horse. A lot of people didn't believe in him since the Santa Anita Derby, the Kentucky Derby, everything was going to be such a huge deal for him and he proved them wrong," he said. "I know if he was 100% today, he would prove everybody wrong again."
Gutierrez got one last look at the Belmont Park from atop a race horse when he rode Politicallycorrect in the sixth race. The crowd rose to its feet as he took the lead in the stretch. But this time the jockey who won the Derby and Preakness by running down other horses, got run down himself.
The favorite Teeth of the Dog easily crossed the line first and then Fast Falcon nipped Politicallycorrect at the wire for second.
Gutierrez will return to Los Angeles on Sunday but not before he watches the Belmont. He says he will "wish everybody the best luck, to the jockeys and hope everything goes well and o the other horses. May the best horse win today."
Everything is forced to adapt when there is no Triple Crown to be won:
• Crowds for the last four Triple Crown tries have ranged from 94,000 to 122,000. In other years the numbers are between 40,000 and 60,000. Tickets are non-refundable, and any hospitality package had to be canceled 72 hours in advance.
• The top two betting days of the Belmont Stakes were in 2004 and 2008, both over $4 million on track in Triple Crown years. Even the betting itself changed, I'll Have Another was a 4-5 favorite with Dullahan at 5-1 and Union Rags at 6-1. When the favorite bowed out, Dullahan was made the 9-5 favorite with Union Rags dropping to 3-1. Dale Romans, trainer of Dullahan, has had his day changed with the scratch. He called the injury "devastating" and said the thrill was in the chase. "It would have been something special to beat him."
• Since 2000 Belmont Stakes races without a Triple Crown average 4% of the TV households; those with a Triple Crown bid are up at 10.1%, equal to many NFL games, a Masters' Sunday and a BCS title game.
O'Neill, who typically arrives at his barn with the sun trailed by a gaggle of reporters, was a no-show Saturday. He opted for breakfast with his family instead. But O'Neill would have not have missed a lot of people. Throughout the morning there were never more than four or five reporters waiting for him. In fact, the entire Belmont backstretch did not have the feel of anticipation that had been there previously.
Ken Daigle and his girlfriend Bonnie McAllen were coming from Milford, Conn., no matter what. They said they "were not so disappointed" after I'll Have Another scratched because the "odds got a little more even."
But Andy Black of Manchester, N.H., was like O'Neill — a no-show. He planned to attend the Belmont with nine friends but reversed his plans when I'll Have Another scratched. He opted for a trip to Massachusetts instead.
"I was looking forward to it so much," Black said. "His Preakness was impressive. I wanted to see history. It's a terrible letdown."
Linda Hutchison and her sister Debbie Gunyon decided to make it to Belmont anyway after arriving from Kokomo, Ind. They were on hand Friday when I'll Have Another jockey Mario Gutierrez finished seventh in the Brooklyn Handicap and cheered him on from the railing.
As Gutierrez scooted away with the press trailing him, Hutchison yelled out "the poor kid has to be so bummed out."
As were she and Gunyon: "We drove all the way from Indiana just to see a Triple Crown."
But fans are nothing if not resilient, and many decided to make the most of a Belmont Saturday. "I am glad the horse is okay, and I'm happy to be at Belmont," Gunyon said. "I will cry later. If I win a lot of money then I'll laugh."
Like other sports fanatics, Black, however, is switching his loyalties.
"Now I get to see the Celtics-Heat Game 7 and most importantly as a hockey fan, all those former Manchester Monarchs playing for the Los Angeles King against New Jersey in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup final," he said. "Also, I won't be stuck in traffic driving back to New Hampshire."