Twitter Reacts as Injury Ends I'll Have Another's Triple Crown Bid

All the talk leading up to Saturday's Belmont Stakes was obviously centered around I'll Have Another and his quest to become the first horse since Affirmed in 1978 to win the Triple Crown. 

Unfortunately for the horse and all the fans who were so invested in this race, history will not be made. I'll Have Another has been scratched from the race due to an injury. 

I'll Have Another's trainer Doug O'Neill broke the news Friday morning, in an interview on the Dan Patrick Show.

"

Doug O'Neill: "I'll Have Another is officially out of the Belmont."

— Dan Patrick Show (@dpshow) June 8, 2012"

O'Neill said he wasn't sure when or how the injury occurred, but did go on to say that he thought I'll Have Another has run his last race. 

Here are the reactions from Twitter in light of this sad, shocking news. 

ESPN's Doug Gottlieb keeps trying to show off his sense of humor, and he is getting closer to landing a good one. 

"

Breaking- "I'll have another" changes name to "I've had enough"

— Doug Gottlieb (@GottliebShow) June 8, 2012"

The official Twitter account for someone who is definitely Not Bill Walton is doing its best to upset the reasonable people who are associated with PETA. 

"

Bad news: "I'll Have Another" is done! Good news: Kids all over the country will soon have more glue for their school projects.

— Not Bill Walton (@NotBillWalton) June 8, 2012"

Kevin Noon of Rivals.com provided my pick for best tweet of the whole unfortunate mess horse racing is in right now.  

"

With the scratch of "I'll Have Another" the Belmont Stakes went from being as exciting as "Game of Thrones" to being as ill-fated as "Luck"

— Kevin Noon (@Kevin_Noon) June 8, 2012"

Admittedly, I may be biased because I like both shows, but it doesn't make it any less true. The thrill and exhilaration fans were expected to feel is gone. 

Michael Rosenberg of Sports Illustrated comes in a close second for my favorite tweet, bringing in Mr. Controversy, Skip Bayless. 

"

Pretty obvious that I'll Have Another withdrew because he knew if he lost, Skip Bayless would say he choked.

— Michael Rosenberg (@Rosenberg_Mike) June 8, 2012"

It's too bad that Bayless wasn't around to spout his garbage today, just to see him say that this injury was brought on by all the pressure he was facing, and how he was unable to handle it. 

A few days ago, Richard Deitsch of Sports Illustrated borrowed a tidbit of information from NBC Sports, about the incredible athletic feats we have seen in sports since the last Triple Crown in 1978. 

"

There have been 12 MLB perfect games &nine 99-yard TD passes since the last time a horse won the Triple Crown. (via @NBCSportsPR).

— Richard Deitsch (@richarddeitsch) June 4, 2012"

Ken LaVicka of ESPN 760 truly believes that I'll Have Another is serious about having an injury and needing to withdrawal from the event, unlike a certain golfer who walked away from a tournament last weekend.  

"

I'll Have Another's withdrawal from the Belmont is infinitely more legitimate than Phil Mickelson's withdrawal from The Memorial.

— Ken LaVicka (@KLV760) June 8, 2012"

B/R's own Zach Rymer took a break from writing about interleague baseball to tell NBC exactly what it didn't want to hear. 

"

I'll Have Another is out of the Belmont Stakes, eh? Welp, the amount of people who care about horse racing just took a huge dive.

— Zachary D. Rymer (@zachrymer) June 8, 2012"

With a niche sport, the only way to draw in a big, mainstream audience is to provide history. That has been taken away from horse racing, so there is not much incentive to tune in now. 

SportsCenter anchor Cindy Brunson says what so many of us are thinking right now. 

"

So bummed I'll Have Another has pulled out of the Belmont Stakes.#TripleCrownNot

— Cindy Brunson (@ESPNCindyB) June 8, 2012"

John Ourand of the Sports Business Journal looks at the business side of this loss for NBC Sports, which was hoping for a big rating with I'll Have Another going for history.  

"

NBC Sports has had the worst luck this spring. Two big non-hockey markets in the Stanley Cup Finals. Now, I'll Have Another scratches.

— John Ourand (@Ourand_SBJ) June 8, 2012"

Elizabeth Banks, who has starred in films like The 40-Year-Old Virgin and The Hunger Games, shares her disappointment with the social media world. 

"

I'll Have Another scratched? Whaaa....No Triple Crown. Bummer. #exactawhat?

— Elizabeth Banks (@ElizabethBanks) June 8, 2012"

Darren Rovell of CNBC, who was assigned to cover the Belmont Stakes and even posted a picture from the track early this morning, talks about what this does for the sport of horse racing.  

"

I'll Have Another's scratch from the Belmont is not only a blow to the Belmont, it's a blow to the struggling horse racing world

— darren rovell (@darrenrovell) June 8, 2012"

It is a huge financial blow to the sport, which had put all of its eggs in the I'll Have Another basket. History has been taken away before it had a chance to be made. 

Rovell also mentioned that a mysterious vendor error caused special I'll Have Another koozies to be scrapped today. 

"

Belmont was supposed to give away I'll Have Another beverage koozies today. They were scratched this morning because of a "vendor error."

— darren rovell (@darrenrovell) June 8, 2012"

Jeannine Edwards of ESPN gives fans information for the press conference to discuss I'll Have Another, as well as an early warning sign that something was up. 

"

Presser at 1pm for I'll Have Another.Not looking good.Perhaps the reason for undercover training session this morning

— jeannine edwards (@jeanninee12) June 8, 2012"

While the sports community tries to come to grips with the loss of a potentially historic day, some people are trying to find some humor in light of this situation. 

Television critic and noted sports fan Alan Sepinwall of HitFix is looking forward to watching today's episode of Pardon The Interruption.  

"

Silver lining of I'll Have Another being scratched from Belmont: it will make a hilarious @PTI segment today as Wilbon mocks Tony.

— Alan Sepinwall (@sepinwall) June 8, 2012"

Jason Whitlock, a.k.a. Big Sexy, has decided to show off his sophomoric sense of humor in light of this news. 

"

That's the last time I'll Have Another will be allowed to pull out prematurely. #thegoodlife

— Jason Whitlock (@WhitlockJason) June 8, 2012"

Sports journalist Bonnie Bernstein is looking to see about officially changing I'll Have Another's name. 

"

Guess we need to change the horse's name to Won't Have Another?? #BelmontScratch

— Bonnie Bernstein (@BonnieBernstein) June 8, 2012"

It is too bad, because this kind of thing doesn't happen all the time. Everyone was looking forward to seeing something that hasn't happened in 34 years. Even if it didn't happen, we would be watching.

Now there is just a feeling of emptiness. 

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