Belmont Stakes 2012: I'll Have Another's Scratch Ruins Race for Non-Bettors

The Belmont Stakes is no longer must-see TV for non-betting horse racing fans now that I'll Have Another has been scratched.

The colt's run at the Triple Crown of horse racing was unceremoniously cut short when trainer Doug O'Neill noticed swelling in his left leg after he came back from an easy gallop, according to the Los Angeles Times. This was after a Thursday training session that caused I'll Have Another's left leg to have  "a loss of definition," according to O'Neill, via the same report.

This unfortunate circumstance has cast a dark cloud over what was surely going to be one of the biggest events for any sport in America this year. Now that I'll Have Another is relegated to stud duties the rest of his career, there isn't any real reason to pay attention to the race unless you have some money on the event.

I'm a recent convert to the sport of horse racing, and I was pumped up for this race. These past couple of races has given me a whole new appreciation for the sport as I watched this underdog win over highly touted favorite Bodemeister in dramatic fashion not once, but twice.

The Belmont Stakes would have been the cherry on top for the long-strider they call I'll Have Another. His unique ability to run faster at the end of races than the rest of the field would have given him a significant advantage on the mile-and-a-half track at the Belmont track, but now he'll never get the chance.

Without I'll Have Another, the Belmont Stakes is just another betting opportunity for those who are inclined to games of chance.

What was going to be one of the most compelling races in my lifetime has now lost its luster. In the immortal words of Roy Hawkins and Rick Darnell, the thrill is gone.

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