I’ll Have Another Scratched from the Belmont Stakes

There is shocking news in the horse racing world, as I’ll Have Another has been scratched from the Belmont Stakes. The three-year old horse won in dramatic fashion at the Kentucky Derby and Preakness, and many fans were hoping to see a Triple Crown winner for the first time since Affirmed in 1978. However, I’ll Have Another trainer Doug O'Neill told the "The Dan Patrick Show" this morning that his horse was “officially out of the Belmont.” There will be a press conference on Friday afternoon at Belmont Park to discuss the details.

There was a six-year stretch in the 1970s that saw an amazing three Triple Crown winners — Secretariat (1973), Seattle Slew (1977) and Affirmed (1978). However, no horse has accomplished the feat since. There have been some dramatic second-place finishes — Sunday Silence (1989), Silver Charm (1997), Real Quiet (1998) and Smarty Jones (2004) — as well as some memorable thirds (Charismatic – 1999, Funny Cide – 2003) and the heartbreaking injury to Big Brown in 2008.

Sadly, I’ll Have Another will also join the non-Triple Crown list with its surprising scratch for the Belmont Stakes.