I'll Have Another Horse Triple Crown: Mario Gutierrez Key to Historic Win

Up-and-coming jockey Mario Gutierrez will be the deciding factor in making I'll Have Another the first Triple Crown winner in 34 years. The Mexican-born rider has made a meteoric rise in the last month after pushing J. Paul Reddam's horse to two dramatic finishes in the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes.

Gutierrez was a nobody at this time last year, racing at Hastings Racecourse in Vancouver, Canada. He regularly raced in Southern California as well, and he caught the eye of Reddam while competing at Santa Anita Race Track.

According to the Los Angeles Times, I'll Have Another's owner describes his discovery of Gutierrez as "blind luck."

Gutierrez's chemistry with the horse was enough to impress Reddam and trainer Doug O'Neill. The two men decided to take their chances on a rider who had never raced at any of the Triple Crown sites.

The gamble paid off, and Gutierrez was perfectly in sync with I'll Have Another all the way through both the Derby and the Preakness.

The second leg of the Triple Crown was especially impressive, as the late charge was just barely enough to give I'll Have Another his second consecutive victory.

The strategy used by Gutierrez impressed legendary trainer Bob Baffert, who trained Bodemeister, the horse that finished second in both races.

After the Preakness, Baffert said this, via the Boston Herald:

"

Mario Gutierrez had him in a really good spot. I was watching him the whole race. That kid was just sitting chilly on him. I was hoping he would chase us a little but he refuses to chase Bodemeister. The key is that’s a really good horse and the kid rides him with confidence.

"

Gutierrez's unflappable concentration during both of his last races will prove to be extremely important in the Belmont Stakes.

The Boston Herald article describes the difference between the third leg of the Triple Crown and the other races that I'll Have Another has won. The article states: "The Belmont is a far different race. The mile-and-a-half distance is rare and borderline ridiculous. It taxes a 3-year-old’s stamina. It tests a jockey’s poise and patience."

Poise and patience are two qualities that Gutierrez has clearly displayed during his time in the limelight. He proved to be a cold-blooded closer, knowing exactly when to make his move and push his horse.

The longer race will favor the jockeys who are most in tune with their horses. Right now, the connection between Gutierrez and I'll Have Another seems almost supernatural, and it will be the reason that horse racing will have its first Triple Crown winner in decades.