Tagged: Belmont Stakes

Triple Crown contender I’ll Have Another has been scratched from tomorrow’s Belmont Stakes.

Trainer Doug O’Neill says he pulled the colt from the race after he showed early signs of tendonitis in his left front leg.    O’Neill told radio talk show host Dan Patrick that he’s not sure how I’ll Have Another was injured, but he’s not taking any chances by running him Saturday.

I’ll Have Another was positioned to become racing’s first Triple Crown winner since

Trainer Doug O'Neill said this morning that Triple Crown contender  I'll Have Another will not run in tomorrow's Belmont Stakes.

O'Neill told radio host Dan Patrick that the colt has the start of tendonitis in his left front leg and has been pulled from the race.

O'Neill and the horse's connections will hold a press conference at 1:00pm. 

This story will be updated.

Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas returned to work today at Belmont Park, a day after he was taken to the hospital with a head injury.

The 76 year old Lukas needed several stitches after one of his horses reared up and struck him in the top of the head.

Lukas was back at the track today for the Belmont Stakes post position draw, and joked about his trip to the emergency room.

"I got a severe headache---that’s the bad news.   The good news was that I got a date with the head nurse and I sold both doctors a racehorse while I was there," he said. 

Triple Crown contender I’ll Have Another is the 4-5 early favorite to win the Belmont Stakes.

The Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner leads a 12 horse field.    He’ll run from post position No. 11, which is fine with trainer Doug O’Neill.    

"Being in the 11 hole, we’re able to kind of see how the pace sets up and if they’re crawling we’ll be hopefully leading the crawl and if they’re flying we’ll be sitting in behind the horses flying," O'Neill said at today's post position draw at Belmont Park in New York.