I'll Have Another Belmont: Long Course Will Be I'll Have Another's Kryptonite

I'll Have Another made thrilling comebacks at the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, edging out Bodemeister both times to move within one victory from becoming a part of Triple Crown history. But the Belmont Stakes will be the toughest test of all.

Checking in at 12 furlongs, the Belmont is the longest race of the Triple Crown and the fact that it comes at the end makes it all the more difficult on I'll Have Another. He has never faced a schedule so demanding in the past.

So far, horse racing's biggest star has been able to settle in nicely behind the lead pack. Once jockey Mario Gutierrez decided to go, the colt used his late speed to easily overtake the rest of the field and eventually Bodemeister to land in the winner's circle.

The timing will be far more tricky in the Belmont, however. The added distance adds another variable to the equation for Gutierrez.

While the simple solution would seem to be starting the charge later in the race, it's not that easy. The longer I'll Have Another hangs back, the less energy he'll have for the final push when he needs it. But if Gutierrez calls on him too soon, he won't have enough to hang on at the end.

So it's a delicate balance and if the 25-year-old jockey doesn't time it exactly right, I'll Have Another will just become another statistic as horse racing waits for its first Triple Crown winner since 1978.

That's a lot of pressure on Gutierrez, who will be riding the most important race of his life. No matter how much he prepares, everything will change once the gate opens and if he doesn't have a perfect ride, he will be blamed for the loss.

The Belmont's distance is the main reason 11 horses have faltered since Affirmed's trifecta of victories 32 years ago despite being in the same promising position as I'll Have Another. And it's also why the accomplishment would be so amazing if he can finish it off.

All told, there's a good chance the long Belmont course will just end up being to much for I'll Have Another to overcome. When you consider some of the big names that suffered the same fate, such as Big Brown, it would be nothing for trainer Doug O'Neill to be ashamed of.

The distance will be the storyline all week during the build up, and it will likely be the biggest story when the race ends. That's why the Belmont is such a special event.