I’ll Have Another Scratched From Belmont, According To Trainer

It appears that the world will be without a Triple Crown winner for yet another year, but in an extremely disappointing way. I’ll Have Another, the winner of the 2012 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, has officially been scratched from Saturday’s Belmont Stakes, according to trainer Doug O’Neill.

In an interview on the Dan Patrick Show on Friday, O’Neill confirmed that I’ll Have Another has indeed been scratched. O’Neill said, “We ain’t taking any chances,” and that the scratch “is a bummer, but far from tragic.” O’Neill guessed that I’ll Have Another has run his last race.

There were rumors of injury swirling on Friday before the announcement, but O’Neill did not mention anything specific leading to the scratch. The I’ll Have Another camp has a press conference scheduled for 1 p.m. ET to announce the decision.

For more on the Belmont Stakes and the race for the Triple Crown, stay with this StoryStream and check out SB Nation’s horse racing blog And Down The Stretch They Come. There, you’ll also find A Beginner’s Guide To Following Horse Racing and a glossary of horse racing terms.