Preakness 2012 Winner: Early Belmont Stakes Odds for I'll Have Another

The 137th Preakness Stakes is over. I'll Have Another claimed victory in the Triple Crown's second leg and will vie for the honor in the upcoming Belmont Stakes.

Now, it is time to speculate about I'll Have Another's Belmont chances.

I'll Have Another has displayed incredible closing speed in both the Kentucky Derby and now the Preakness. Both times he was down for the majority of the race before chasing Bodemeister down for the victory.

Let's take a look at Belmont and how I'll Have Another should fare.

The Course

Belmont's one-and-a-half-mile track will be a different obstacle for I'll Have Another to clear. The longer course will give I'll Have Another plenty of time to catch up down the stretch.

But, will he have enough gas to get himself there?

I'll Have Another has relied on a short burst on tracks' backstretch to run down the opposition. In order to win Belmont, he will need to pace himself better to save for that final stretch.

Endurance issues will sink I'll Have Another in this race if he isn't ready.

I'll Have Another's Style

This horse can flat out run when he opens the throttle.

If he can make it to the final turn of Belmont within striking distance, he is a tough horse to pick against.

Saving yourself for one final push is not a bad strategy but inexperience on a longer track could ruin that idea. If he runs out of gas, he could fall out of contention quickly.

Speculated Initial Odds

If Bodemeister was running at 2-1 odds in the Preakness Stakes without winning the Kentucky Derby, I'll Have Another must run at better odds than that.

Expect I'll Have Another to be a heavy favorite entering the race just because of his Triple Crown hopes. He has proven himself ready for the big stage and his handlers know they are on the verge of history.

The exact odds will not be out until closer to Belmont time, but for now anything better than 2-1 is a reasonable assumption.