I'LL HAVE ANOTHER WINS THE PREAKNESS STAKES!

Let the Triple Crown talk begin!

I'll Have Another, winner of the Kentucky Derby (gr. I) two weeks ago, successfully claimed the second leg of racing's elusive Triple Crown when he wore down Bodemeister in deep stretch to win the $1,000,000 Preakness Stakes (gr. I) by a neck.

Under a brilliant ride from Mario Gutierrez, I'll Have Another got off to an excellent start in the 1 3/16th miles race before settling into the fourth position early on, a couple of lengths behind pace-setting Bodemeister. Creative Cause was a length behind in second, followed by Pretension down along the rail. Went the Day Well was close to the pace in fifth, followed by Teeth of the Dog, Tiger Walk, Cozzetti, Zetterholm, Optimizer, and Daddy Nose Best.

Through moderate fractions of :23.79 and :47.68, Bodemeister continued to show the way. Coming off of a runner-up effort in the Kentucky Derby, in which he had set a blazing pace of :22.32 and :45.39, Bodemeister's chances of winning the Preakness appeared to be going much better than in Louisville.

Rounding the far turn, Creative Cause made his bid for the lead, but was quickly turned back as Bodemeister burst clear of the field to open up a 2 1/2 length lead. He seemed to have plenty left in the tank, and it was looking as though he would accomplish what he had failed to do in the Derby.

But on the far outside, a brilliant chestnut colt was beginning a rally that would not be denied. With Gutierrez urging his colt on as hard as he could, I'll Have Another surged into contention on the far outside and began to cut into Bodemeister's lead. The front-runner was game, and even passing the sixteenth pole, it appeared as though he would avenge his Derby loss. But I'll Have Another proved simply too good, getting up in deep stretch to win by a neck while stopping the clock in 1:55.94.

Creative Cause finished third, nine lengths further back. Zetterholm and Teeth of the Dog rounded out the top five, while Optimizer, Cozzetti, Tiger Walk, Daddy Nose Best, Went the Day Well, and Pretension trailed the field.

The winner is owned by Reddam Racing and trained by Doug O'Neill. The colt has now won all four of his races this year, which aside from the Derby and Preakness includes the Santa Anita Derby (gr. I) and Robert B. Lewis Stakes (gr. II).

-Keelerman