Kentucky Derby 2012: I'll Have Another Won't Have Another Win at Preakness

I'll Have Another pulled off a shocking win at this year's Kentucky Derby, overcoming the front-running Bodemeister while holding off the late-charging Dullahan.

Don't expect a repeat performance at the Preakness.

Bodemeister looks like he'll be too tough to beat on a short track. Had the inexperienced three-year-old possessed just a bit more energy at the end—or had he started from post position that didn't necessitate such a fast start—he would have cruised to victory.

And there are other talented horses in the possible field that make an I'll Have Another Preakness win unlikely, namely Hansen and Went the Day Well, who was doomed by a poor start but ran well.

Plus, the odds are simply stacked too high against I'll Have Another. From SportingNews.com:

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The chances for I’ll Have Another to go on and win the Preakness and the Belmont appear slim. A 15-1 in the Derby, he’d be, by far, the Derby winner with the longest odds to complete the Triple Crown sweep, according to data presented on ESPN. The current record belongs to Assualt in 1946, who was 8-1 in that year’s Derby, and went on to win the Triple Crown. Omaha in ’35 was 4-1 in the Derby; Whirlaway in ’41 was 3-1; Sir Barton in ’19 was 5-2; and Affirmed, the last Triple Crown winner, was 2-1 in the ’78 Run for the Roses.

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Jockey Mario Gutierrez ran the perfect race with I'll Have Another on Saturday. He broke out of Post 19 quickly, settled just ahead of the pack and behind the leaders early in the race and was only one horse off the rail around the first turn.

That allowed I'll Have Another to settle into a comfortable, competitive pace before kicking it into high-gear down the stretch.

That late kick would probably have to come earlier at the Preakness, and it remains to be seen if the horse could pull off another victory on the shorter track.

All eyes will be on I'll Have Another at the Preakness. But sadly, it won't be another win for I'll Have Another, leaving our Triple Crown hopes unrealized for yet another year.

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