I'll Have Another Adjusts to Life in the Big Apple

Want to know how I'll Have Another is settling in at Belmont Park? Here are some videos from his routine on Saturday: a nice gallop (you can see how deep and sandy the track is at the end of his stretch run) and a nice bath!

He looks wonderful according to all first hand reports and seems to be taking everything in stride! No plans to do more than continue this regime up until the big day: June 9.

Going Up!

Perhaps it was inevitable--fat dogs can't make it up the stairs so why not give them a lift? Literally. This is a prototype of a Stair Lift for dogs created by a U.K. pet insurance company to illustrate the dangers of pet obesity and to draw attention to the epidemic. It did get your attention didn't it?

And I quote: Once the dog sits in the basket big enough for their chubby derriere, the system initiates, bringing the pup up to the second level or back down to the first. The proposed design even includes a paw recognition button.

Overweight pets run the risk for developing the same diseases that their overweight human counterparts do: diabetes, kidney disease and even cancer.

Now about taking that extra lap around the yard with Fido in tow?

O'Neill has Suspension Reduced to 45 Days

How the worm turns. Trainer Doug O'Neill, who faced a suspension of 180 days for racing a horse in his care with an elevated level of total carbon dioxide, has had the suspension reduced to 45 days and a $15,000 fee. The California Horse Racing Board will decide when the suspension will begin but no sooner than July 1, 2012, giving O'Neill plenty of time to appeal.

In addition to removing 135 days from the suspension, the state hearing officer in charge of the case, noted that O'Neill was not guilty of "milk shaking" the horse, that is giving the horse an illegal concoction of baking soda and other illegal substances shortly before it raced. The hearing officer did not find any suspicious betting patterns in the race to support the use of illegal substances.

"I'm gratified that the CHRB found that I did not 'milkshake' a horse or engage in any intentional conduct that would result in an elevated TC02 level," O'Neill said in response to the decision. "I plan on examining and reviewing all of my options following the Belmont Stakes, but right now I plan on staying focused on preparing for and winning the Triple Crown.”

New Mounts in the Belmont

Jockey juggling for the Belmont: Johnny V (Velazquez) will be aboard Union Rags and Javier Castellano will ride Dullahan. I like both these changes.

“Julian was good with the horse…but he got in trouble in the Florida Derby and the Kentucky Derby and I don’t think the horse really had a chance to run,” said Matz, who conditions Union Rags for owner/breeder Phyllis Wyeth. “Whether it was the horse, the jockey, or the trainer, I don’t know, but we decided to make a change.”

Matz also said that Johnny V had agreed to a multi-race commitment with Union Rags.
"We didn’t specify what races… I just wanted someone to stick with the horse and he said he would," Matz said. "Obviously if it doesn’t go well between Johnny and the horse, we will talk it over. There was no contract or anything…whether we made the right choice or not, this is what the Wyeths, my assistant, and I came up with.”

Castellano replaces Kent Desormeaux who failed a breathalyzer test. If Desormeaux straightens himself out, this will be a temporary switch, according to Bloodhorse.

You can be assured that both jocks will be gunning for I'll Have Another from the get-go.

One MooShake Please

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Why do I think Phoebe would do the same thing if given the chance only she would get highly insulted if they didn't give her what she ordered!

Triple Crown Near Misses

For those of you are are thinking that I'll Have Another's Belmont victory is a sure thing, here is a list of those in column A who were once in the same spot as he is: winners of both the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness.

Who can forget the heartbreak of the Smarty Jones year or 1997 and 1998 when both years the Triple Crown was a near miss. I clearly remember the Phipps colors on Easy Goer as he stole the three-peat from Sunday Silence in 1989.

The point here is that it's not a given that I'll Have Another will have another. But what is a given is that every single horse and rider on that track will be trying to make sure he doesn't.

And you know what they say? Nobody remembers who finishes second....

Triple Crown Near Misses
Year Derby/Preakness winner Belmont Finish Belmont winner
2008 Big Brown 9th Da' Tara
2004 Smarty Jones 2nd Birdstone
2003 Funny Cide 3rd Empire Maker
2002 War Emblem 8th Sarava
1999 Charismatic 3rd Lemon Drop Kid
1998 Real Quiet 2nd Victory Gallop
1997 Silver Charm 2nd Touch Gold
1989 Sunday Silence 2nd Easy Goer
1987 Alysheba 4th Bet Twice
1981 Pleasant Colony 3rd Summing
1979 Spectacular Bid 3rd Coastal
1971 Canonero II 4th Pass Catcher
1969 Majestic Prince 2nd Arts and Letters
1968 Forward Pass* 2nd Stage Door Johnny
1966 Kauai King 4th Amberoid
1964 Northern Dancer 3rd Quadrangle
1961 Carry Back 7th Sherluck
1958 Tim Tam 2nd Cavan
1944 Pensive 2nd Bounding Home
1936 Bold Venture Did Not Start Granville
1932 Burgoo King Did Not Start Fairen

Lancelot II

I Cloned My Pet 2 kicked off its second season last night on TLC with the story of Lancelot who was cloned by this couple, who bid $155,00 in an auction for the opportunity to have their beloved dog back.

Check your local listings for repeats of their story and others like it.