I'll Have Another Wins The Preakness Stakes
BALTIMORE (AP) — I'll Have Another overtook Bodemeister, blazing down the stretch to win the Preakness in the final strides Saturday and keep alive his hopes of winning the Triple Crown.
In a race that was a virtual repeat of the Kentucky Derby finish, I'll Have Another raced from behind to beat pace-setter Bodemeister.
In the rematch, I'll Have Another won by a neck after winning the Derby by 1½ lengths.
I'll Have Another now has a chance to become the first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed in 1978. The Belmont Stakes, the last of the Triple Crown races, is June 9.
I'll Have Another covered the 1 3/16 miles in 1:55.94.
The winner, second-favorite behind Bodemeister, paid $8.40, $3.80 and $2.80. Bodemeister returned $3.20 and $2.80, and Creative Cause paid $3.60 to show.
Bodemeister broke to the lead and held onto first place for much of the race, but as the horses headed for home, I'll Have Another bolted past the field, took aim at Bodemeister and won the charge to the finish line.
It was a painful defeat for Bodemeister trainer Bob Baffert, who was seeking his sixth Preakness victory.
I'll Have Another is the first horse since Big Brown in 2008 to win the first two legs of the Triple Crown.
"He has a tremendous kick in the end," winning jockey Mario Gutierrez said. "It's not me, it's him. He just keeps proving people wrong."
Trainer Doug O'Neill, elated with his first Preakness win, said: "When I saw Mario get him in stride midstretch, I just had faith."
Horses that have won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness (x-won triple crown).
2012 — I'll Have Another
2008 — Big Brown
2004 — Smarty Jones
2003 — Funny Cide
2002 — War Emblem
1999 — Charismatic
1998 — Real Quiet
1997 — Silver Charm
1989 — Sunday Silence
1987 — Alysheba
1981 — Pleasant Colony
1979 — Spectacular Bid
1978 — x-Affirmed
1977 — x-Seattle Slew
1973 — x-Secretariat
1971 — Canonero II
1969 — Majestic Prince
1968 — Forward Pass
1966 — Kauai King
1964 — Northern Dancer
1961 — Carry Back
1958 — Tim Tam
1948 — x-Citation
1946 — x-Assault
1944 — Pensive
1943 — x-Count Fleet
1941 — x-Whirlaway
1937 — x-War Admiral
1936 — Bold Venture
1935 — x-Omaha
1932 — Burgoo King
1930 — x-Gallant Fox
1919 — x-Sir Barton
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