Keep the champagne on ice.
I'll Have Another, winner of both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, was officially scratched from the Belmont Stakes on Friday, according to trainer Doug O'Neill, due to a swollen left front tendon.
"I'll Have another is officially out of the Belmont," O'Neill said on the Dan Patrick Show, Friday morning. "He galloped great yesterday and then in the afternoon he had a little bit of a filling in his left front leg. This morning, he looked perfect, I took him out and did a little something with him.
"After training, that swelling came back. I had the vet come over, he scanned his left front leg and (I'll Have Another) has the start of some tendinitis in that front leg, so he's not 100 percent and we ain't taking any chances and we pulled him out. It's not tragic, but it's a huge dissapointment."
"I'm just so bummed for the horse, obviously, but we'll be back hopefully next year and try to do it again."
The 3-year-old horse was looking to become the first Triple Crown winner since 1978, when Affirmed won all three races.
"Usually these types of injuries, either hit themselves - like a hind foot came up and wacked his left front leg - or just hyper-extended from, well he's got such a beautiful long stride, it could be just a freakish thing. It will still be a wonderful race tomorrow."
When asked by Patrick if I'll Have Another has ran his last race, O'Neill said, "If I had to wager, I would say yes."
Post time for Saturday's Belmont Stakes is 6:40 p.m.
