The 2012 Belmont Stakes will be the most popular horse race in quite some time. All eyes will be on I’ll Have Another to see if he can become the first horse to win the Triple Crown since 1978 when Affirmed was able to take Belmont, the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness.
I’ll Have Another mimicked his win at the Derby last weekend with the Preakness at Pimlico in Baltimore when he overtook Bodemeister. The horse was the favorite in both races, but I’ll Have Another came from behind to take both.
“Bring it on! We’re ready to go. Super pumped!” O’Neill said as he held court outside the stall of his Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner. "I can’t put into words how incredible it is. We’re just on Cloud 9. It’s super exciting.
“It’s hasn’t completely sunk in yet,” he said. “The party out here at the barn after the race was like wow! I’ve never seen anything like that – everyone so excited about horse racing and I’ll Have Another being 2-for-2. I definitely feel the energy and buzz in the air.”
The Belmont is not for another three weeks, but the attention is only going to grow as the horse prepares for the Triple Crown.