Belmont Stakes 2012: Dullahan Likely to Be I'll Have Another's Biggest Challenge

If I'll Have Another is kept from his historic Triple Crown bid, it will be by the hoofs of Dullahan. 

After winning the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, Mario Gutierrez will mount I'll Have Another at the Belmont Stakes just 1.5 miles from eternal glory. With a win in that race, the colt would become the first horse in 34 years to win the Triple Crown. 

To accomplish this feat, he will likely do so against many horses he has yet to run against in his previous two Triple Crown wins.

For starters, Bodemeister has been ruled out, and The Sporting News reported that the only horse who ran in the Preakness with I'll Have Another that is likely to run in the Belmont will be Optimizer. 

They also speculated that Kentucky Derby runners Dullahan, Union Rags and Alpha "may" be in the Belmont. 

Of this group, logic would suggest that Dullahan is the most likely, and also the horse that poses the biggest threat to I'll Have Another. 

Having taken the Preakness off, Dullahan will be fresher than I'll Have Another for this race. He has been training for his next run, and training strong. As TSN reported, Dullahan was turning in great times at Churchill Downs this past weekend. 

But what really points to Dullahan finding success at the Belmont is how he ran at the Derby. He finished third, and was actually closing faster than I'll Have Another down the final stretch at the Derby. 

This is one horse that has the closing speed to compete with I'll Have Another, and at the 1.5-mile Belmont Stakes, a strong finishing kick is huge. 

It is safe to assume that Dullahan will enter the Belmont, and be a huge factor when he gets there.