144th Belmont Stakes

The last three weeks were filled with hype, anticipation and speculation. In the blink of an eye all that changed the morning before the Belmont Stakes after Doug O'Neil announced that I'll Have Another will be scratched from the race after an apparent tendon issue. The news spread across media outlets all over as the horse racing world sits in shock and disappointment after the breaking news. The drought continues as another year goes by where we will not witness a Triple Crown winner.

As depressing as this news is, that's horse racing for you and there is still a race to be run tomorrow at Belmont. There are some quality horses that will load the gates and it should set up for an interesting race. Union Rags was once considered the top-three-year old, until he had those awful trips in the Florida and Kentucky Derby and looks to redeem himself.  Dullahan, coming off a third place finish in the Derby, looks to continue his consistency as the 1 1/2 mile shouldn't pose a problem for him. There are also newcomers, Street Life and Paynter, who look to crash the party as 4 out of the last 5 Belmont winners were newcomers. Don't cancel your Belmont plans just yet as you are going to witness why they call this race the "Test of Champions" and see just why I'll Have Another may not have been a shoe-in to take the Triple Crown after all.

Belmont Stakes(G1)
6/9 Belmont 6:40 EST

Union Rags 3-1*
We have yet to see what this horse can really do if given the opportunity to run and watch out if he gets a good trip. Was boxed in at the FL Derby and still managed to finish third. Had no shot in the Derby after a slow start and coming from last to finish seventh. Has a win over this track as he won convincingly in the Fountain of Youth(G2) in his three-year-old debut back in February. Only concern is that his pedigree doesn't jump off the page when it comes to this distance. 


Dullahan 9-5*
Coming off a third place finish in the Derby, only 1 3/4 lengths behind winner I'll Have Another and was closing strong. Should be well rested coming off a 5 week layoff after skipping the Preakness. Has hit the board in each of his last seven races and should make it eight after tomorrow. 


Street Life 8-1*
One of the newcomers that has a legitimate shot to pull off the upset. Deep closer who has improved in each of his lifetime starts. Coming off a third place finish in the 1 1/8 mile Peter Pan Stakes over this track. 


Paynter 9-2*
Another Baffert horse with tactical speed. Finished fourth to I'll Have Another in the Santa Anita Derby, only 3 3/4 lengths back. Another newcomer that could steal the show. 


*Odds after I'll Have Another was scratched. 


Ex/Tri Box: 3,5,1,9

2 Down 1 To Go

                                                                            Affirmed


Spectacular Bid (1979), Pleasant Colony (1981), Alysheba (1987), Sunday Silence (1989), Silver Charm (1997), Real Quiet (1998), Charismatic (1999), War Emblem (2002), Funny Cide (2003), Smarty Jones (2004) and Big Brown (2008). Eleven horses have won the first two legs of that elusive Triple Crown since Affirmed pulled off the feat back in 1978. I'll Have Another has to wait three weeks before he tries to tackle the 1 1/2 mile Belmont monster and tries to keep himself off the growing list of horses that couldn't seal the deal. 


I'll Have Another breathed life back into the struggling sport yesterday at least for another three weeks after proving the doubters wrong again and running down Bodemeister in a photo finish at the 137th Preakness Stakes. They said this horse couldn't win the Derby because he was breaking from the 19th post. They said he couldn't catch Bodemeister at a shorter distance after the fractions that were posted in the Derby. They won't be disrespecting him leading up to the Belmont as he will be the morning line favorite for the first time in his career. The bandwagon is starting to fill up and horse racing fans everywhere are yearning for a Triple Crown winner as the sport is approaching 34 long years since the last horse to pull it off. 


Will I'll Have Another be able to live up to the hype and pull off that once forgotten feat? After watching the Derby and Preakness, none of these horses can compete with this horse. The same thing was said about those eleven others that were in this same situation. The Belmont is a different animal and has been known to spoil hopes and dreams in the past. There are also a couple horses named Dullahan and Union Rags that will look to get back on the track and play spoiler after sitting out the Preakness as they will be well rested heading into the Belmont. These next three weeks can not go by fast enough as they will be filled with plenty of hype, anticipation and speculation. Let the countdown to the Belmont and Triple Crown begin....


*Picked Creative Cause to win, but this talented horse just doesn't have the distance in him as he couldn't keep pace with Bodemeister and I'll Have Another down the stretch. Did hit the trifecta, as Creative Cause was able to hold on to third. Another example of why you box any and all exotics. (Thoughts and prayers go out to Joel Rosario who lost his brother yesterday in an auto accident in the Dominican Republic.)

I'll Have Another & The 137th Preakness Stakes

I'll Have Another took down the field and history at the 138th Kentucky Derby two weeks ago. Chalk up post number nineteen to finally get a Derby winner, as it was one of the last two post positions left to not have one. Bodemeister almost did the unthinkable by taking the Derby wire to wire, but I'll Have Another defied the odds from the far outside post and had enough in the tank to pass him at the finish.

This coming Saturday at Pimlico lures 10 contenders to try and spoil I'll Have Another's Triple Crown Bid. The most notable horses running are, Bodemeister, Went The Day Well and Creative Cause, all who try and come back in two weeks after running in the Derby. With almost half the entries compared to the Derby, the Preakness should give these horses more room to run. But, just like in Louisville, anything can happen in Baltimore as we saw last year, after Animal Kingdom stumbled at the start, lost ground and spent all his energy trying to catch back up. While Bodemeister is the morning line favorite, most racing fans will have their eyes on the second betting favorite, I'll Have Another, as he tries to take down the second leg of this daunting Triple Crown run. Tune in this Saturday at 6:05 EST to see if I'll Have Another can prove the handicappers wrong again and win the 2012 Preakness Stakes.

Preakness Stakes(G1)
5/19 Pimlico @ 6:05 EST


Creative Cause 6-1
Had a good, but wide trip in the Derby and was in perfect position to take down the field. Just didn't have anything left in the tank down the stretch to finish it off. If he can stay closer to Bodemeister this time and at a 1/16th mile shorter distance, has a shot to pull off the upset. 


Bodemeister 8-5
Going to be tough to catch, but should have more pressure from the contenders than he did in the Derby. I see him blowing the field away or just getting beat at the finish line. 


I'll Have Another 5-2
We all know what this horse has done. I wrote him off due to his post position in the Derby and it cost me at the window. Find out Saturday how he does coming off a two week layoff. As long as he gets a clean break from the gate, he will be there at the finish. 


Went The Day Well 6-1
Fastest closing horse in the Derby field to grab fourth. Did not have the best trip, so will be an interesting horse to keep an eye on. Needs to stay closer to the leaders this time to pull off the upset


Ex/Tri Bx: 6,7,9,5


*Top three finishers in the Derby were in our Top 10. Hopefully you had the right combination with this year's deep and talented field of three-year-olds.

138th Kentucky Derby Final Rankings

See Full Preview: 138th Kentucky Derby Preview

Mystified Ticket's Derby Hi-5(Final Rankings)

1) #4 Union Rags 9-2

-I have considered him the best horse even after his loss in the BC Juvenile. Florida Derby loss gave me more confidence in this horse. No need to jump off the bandwagon on Derby Eve. 

2) #8 Creative Cause 12-1

-If I could pick co-favorites, believe me I would. Finished in the money 8 out of 8 lifetime starts. Don't expect that to change come tomorrow when they "Run for the Roses".  

3) #15 Gemologist 6-1

-Would have liked to seen this guy run against better competition. Just can't overlook his undefeated resume along with his two wins at Churchill. Expect him to be there at the end. 

4) #5 Dullahan 8-1

-Top closer in this field will be picking off horses down the stretch. I just hope the Blue Grass didn't take too much out of him.

5) #16 El Padrino 20-1

-Sleeper in the race that could make some noise. Has the class and speed figures to be a legitimate threat. 

Don't Count Out...

 #6 Bodemeister 4-1

-Driving myself crazy trying to figure out if this horse is the real deal or not. I just think too much speed too early will do him in going 1 1/4 mile. We find out tomorrow if he truly is a super horse. 

#14 Hansen 10-1

-Drawing the fourteenth post instead of that dreaded one, definitely did Hansen some favors. He will be sitting outside the two speed horses, Bodemeister and Trinniberg which will be good if they can get out in front of him. Don't write off the two-year-old champ. 

#3 Take Charge Indy 15-1

-Very intriguing horse who is a threat, especially with Borel on the mount. I know he is bred for the distance, but I just have a have a hard time believing he will be there at the end if he takes off towards the lead at the start. 

#7 Rousing Sermon 50-1

- Deep Closer who could find himself filling out some exotics if the race plays out in his favor. 

#19 I'll Have Another 12-1

-The 19th post might be too much to overcome for I'll Have Another. 

*Good Luck figuring out this deep field of unpredictable three-year-olds! Enjoy Derby Day and hopefully you will be cashing in some tickets...