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O'Neill: I'll Have Another 'looks fantastic'; Dullahan
arrives at Belmont
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| I'll Have Another will continue to gallop up to the Belmont Stakes
(Photo courtesy of NYRA) |
Triple Crown hopeful
I'll Have
Another put in a fourth solid gallop over Belmont Park's main track Monday
morning as Team O'Neill began planning some extracurricular activities during
the lead up to the $1 million Belmont Stakes on June 9.
As I'll Have Another is scheduled to do each day before the 1 1/2-mile "Test
of the Champion," the Kentucky Derby and Preakness-winning son of Flower Alley
went to the track shortly after the renovation break, jogged a half-mile and
galloped a mile.
"If any of you guys got a chance to see him, I think he's maintained his
energy level and his stride, and he looks fantastic," trainer
Doug O'Neill said at his daily press briefing. "Today the track was,
according to the crew, at its deepest and most tiring, so it was good to get him
over that, and he recovered very quickly and drank a very little bit of water.
So he's fit, and we have to stay lucky and stay injury-free and we'll be in
great shape." |
O'Neill, who said he was hoping to attend a taping of "Late Night with Jimmy
Fallon" in Manhattan, revealed that he, jockey Mario Gutierrez, and owner J.
Paul Reddam, had been invited by Jessica Steinbrenner to throw out the first
pitch when the New York Mets play the New York Yankees on the eve of the June 9
Belmont Stakes.
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| I'll Have Another appears to have thrived at Belmont
(Photo courtesy of NYRA) |
"If all goes well they asked us the day before the Belmont to have Mario,
Paul and I, to symbolize the Triple Crown, to have all three of us throw it
out," he said. "What a huge honor it is. That should be a blast."
In other Belmont news:
Kentucky Derby third-place finisher
Dullahan arrived at Belmont Park at approximately 6:30 a.m. (EDT) Monday
morning to finish preparations for his attempt to spoil I'll Have Another's
Triple Crown bid in the Belmont Stakes.
"He'll jog in the morning, gallop a few days, and breeze on Saturday,"
trainer Dale Romans said of the Donegal Racing colorbearer. "He came out of the
Derby in great shape. He's happy, fresh, (and the race) didn't seem to knock him
out any. He has the extra time between races, and he's doing great."
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Romans will remain in New York through the Belmont Stakes.
Bet the Belmont Stakes at TwinSpires.com
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