I'll Have Another Triple Crown: Jockey Mario Gutierrez Is Key to Potential Feat

I'll Have Another has a legitimate chance to win the Triple Crown at the 2012 Belmont Stakes.

The horse has come out of nowhere to capture our hearts and excite our minds about the prospect of a Triple Crown run, but none of it would be possible without his jockey, Mario Gutierrez.

Sure, it's the horse that actually runs the race—and believe you me I'll Have Another has run two flawless races so far—but it doesn't take an expert horse handicapper to see how much Gutierrez has played into his horse's success.

It may seem cliche, but it's rather apparent that Gutierrez and the horse have that rare understanding that only the great champions seem to have. He just gets his horse, and he knows exactly what to do to get the best out of him.

Just check out the way he's run both the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes—both nearly identical and flawless races out of the pair.

At the Derby, Gutierrez had I'll Have Another firmly in the pack just biding his time and then pushed him on the final turn, got his second leg and burst of speed and overcame the field.

Perhaps we were looking for it this time around or perhaps it's because this team is so good, but either way, they pulled off nearly the same game plan at the Preakness and they looked good doing it. There was a distinct moment on the final turn where you could see Gutierrez urging I'll Have Another to go into his final gear, and the horse responded perfectly to his jockey's instructions.

Horse and jockey working together as a team, it's a beautiful thing to actually witness and it's what gives I'll Have Another such a great shot to win the Triple Crown.