I'll Have Another Retired: Tendonitis Ends Horse's Quest for History

Saturday was supposed to be I'll Have Another's crowning achievement—literally and figuratively. One win away from immortality in horse racing, it was all snatched away from the three-year-old thoroughbred due to tendonitis. 

According to the official NBC Sports Twitter page, I'll Have Another has retired from the sport of horse racing. 

"

I'll have Another has retired #Belmont twitter.com/NBCSN/status/2…

— NBC Sports Network (@NBCSN) June 8, 2012"

The sport of horse racing was geared up for its biggest weekend since 2008, when Big Brown was going for the Triple Crown. All of the buzz and anticipation had reached a fever pitch, just over 24 hours from race day. 

Then there were whispers of something wrong with I'll Have Another early Friday morning. Trainer Doug O'Neill officially confirmed that the horse would not be able to run in the Belmont Stakes in an interview with Dan Patrick on his radio show.

Horse racing needed something special to generate a lot of positive buzz. Not that there has been negative press surrounding the sport, but it hasn't had that one good story to bring in a big, mainstream audience. 

History in sports is rare, and when you have a chance to see something special, you have to capitalize on it. Now, due to some freak injury, I'll Have Another had his chance to do something truly special taken away. 

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