The horse with a shot at the first Triple Crown since Affirmed almost saw its Belmont Stakes hopes dashed a week and a half before the event, as a riderless horse nearly crashed into I’ll Have Another during a training walk.
Belmont Stakes 2012: I’ll Have Another Avoids Freak Training Accident
The Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner was walking a few feet off the outside rail when Isleta, a three-year-old maiden filly, came sprinting by. The horse had shook its rider and charged just to the right of I’ll Have Another, grazing the boot of exercise rider Jonny Garcia.
The fact that the horse was able to avoid the fluke is crucial. Racehorses aren’t supposed to run at full speed into each other, and whatever injury I’ll Have Another would have sustained if it had been clipped would have probably knocked the horse out of the race and ruined its shot at a Triple Crown, or caused more dire medical consequences. Nobody would’ve liked to see that, least of all O’Neill. Hopefully, the horse can avoid any other random unseemly situations and run healthily in the Belmont Stakes.
Ed. note: This is just a crazy photo of the riderless horse:
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