Belmont 2012: Bodemeister Will Reportedly Skip the 3rd Leg of the Triple Crown

After Bodemeister's second consecutive second-place finish, this time in the Preakness Stakes, it appears Bob Baffert's horse will be skipping the Belmont Stakes, according to Richard Rosenblatt of the Associated Press.

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But there's one big storyline difference this time: Bodemeister is skipping the Belmont. "He's getting off the bus here," trainer Bob Baffert said.

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From what we know so far, there is nothing seriously wrong with the horse. At least that's the conclusion one can draw from looking at Baffert's comments. I can only speculate, but I'm sure he would have divulged any potential injuries to his horse if that was the reason.

The longer distance at Belmont Park could be too much for the front-running style of Bodemeister. Baffert may think it's simply not worth it to risk running such a great horse with little to nothing on the line in such a tough race.

The Preakness winner, I'll Have Another, barely squeaked past Bodemeister two weeks ago at the Kentucky Derby as well. Both horses made the first two legs of the Triple Crown as memorable as any in recent memory.

Unfortunately for Bodemeister, he was unable to complete the win in what were two incredibly exciting races. I'll Have Another's unique ability to close out races was just too much for a horse that, on any given year, could have been something truly special.

True horse racing fans could never forget how great of a horse Bodemeister was, despite not having won a single leg of the Triple Crown.

While this news hurts the chances for a more competitive race, it's great news for trainer Doug O'Neill and his horse. I'll Have Another's toughest competition was Bodemeister and now that he's gone, the talent pool in the Belmont Stakes just got a lot thinner.