Kentucky Derby 2012 Results: Bodemeister Won't Follow Trend of Past Runner-Ups

Bodemeister looked primed to etch his name in Kentucky Derby history last Saturday, before relative underdog I'll Have Another burst onto the scene with just 150 yards left to go. Now, Bodemeister goes into Derby history as the less-prestigious second place horse at the 2012 edition of the race. Unlike those before him though, this horse will break the mold of mediocrity set by past No. 2 horses at Churchill Downs this year.

The past three runner-ups at the Derby are Nehro, Ice Box and Pioneereof the Nile (yes, that's the correct spelling). While Nehro has seen some success in lesser profile races, none of the horses have gone on to do great things since placing second in Kentucky.

Bodemeister's owner, Ahmed Zayat, has seen his horse finish second at the event on three separate occasions, so he can attest to the fact horses just aren't the same afterwards in some cases.

Ice Box was the 2010 runner-up at the Derby, and that would be about as good as it got for the horse in his career. After the No. 2 finish, Ice Box went on to skip the Preakness Stakes, finish ninth in the Belmont Stakes and didn't even place at the 2011 Breeders' Cup Classic.

After finishing second in the 2009 edition of "The Greatest Two Minutes in Sports," Pioneerof the Nile went on to finish 11th at the Preakness before suffering a soft tissue injury in July of that year, forcing the horse to retire from racing. 'Nile is currently roaming the fields of Lexington, Kentucky and can be purchased for the fee of $17,500 dollars.

Bodemeister will look to become the first runner-up in the past four years to win, or place for that matter, at the either the Preakness or Belmont Stakes. Bodemeister has the ability to win the Preakness, as it's the shortest of the two races and he flat out dominated the field for much of the Kentucky Derby.

If the race were 150 yards shorter, Bodemeister would have taken home first place last Saturday, and on a shorter track the late heroics of I'll Have Another will have to come much earlier than they did at the "Run of the Roses."

Zayat spoke with ESPN.com after the shocking finish at the Derby, explaining:

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"We want him healthy and to see how good of a horse he is. I'm very proud of my trainer, very proud of my horse. Next time."

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Team Bodemeister, while disappointed in the stunning loss, are keeping positive and if they can execute a similar game plan when it comes time to race in Maryland, they'll take home the big-time prize money.