I’ll Have Another would have won the Triple Crown

Photo: Eclipse Sportswire

I wanted to wait a day to write this out of respect for a popular victory by Union Rags in the 2012 Belmont Stakes. The winner once again proved to be one of the best horses of his generation and fully redeemed himself for losses in the Florida and Kentucky Derbies. I was happy for Union Rags. He’s a nice horse, but it did not take me very long after the finish to come to the realization that a healthy I’ll Have Another would have cruised to victory yesterday.

I heard the Beyer figure came in at a 96 for Union Rags, confirming what I had already seen with my own eyes, that I’ll Have Another was too good for the field that competed in this year’s Test of a Champion. Union Rags had the entire stretch to get by a tiring Paynter but could not do so until the final few yards. Union Rags won the Belmont more with his class rather than a burst of speed down the lane as his challenger couldn’t muster anything better than a 52 second final half mile. Imagine what the race would have looked like if our Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner had not been scratched on Friday morning? Believe me, I have.

I picture I’ll Have Another sitting comfortably on the outside not too far behind the pacesetter with Mario Gutierrez waiting patiently to give him his cue. Somewhere on the far turn I’ll Have Another would have gotten the OK to go and quickly collared Paynter. Coming into the homestretch, a quarter mile from history, I have no doubt that the little chestnut would have spurted clear and would have opened up daylight as Union Rags could only rally for second.

His Santa Anita Derby was gutsy, at Churchill Downs he announced himself to the world, and in the Preakness he proved himself a star. Any of the three performances would have been plenty to carry him to victory in the Belmont, but a similar run to his last one could have seen a runaway Triple Crown for the colt bred to run long. I can only imagine what the scene at Belmont Park would have felt like yesterday if that was the case. The crowd would have transformed into one pulsating force of nature as I’ll Have Another’s cheers grew louder and louder with every stride down the Belmont Park stretch. It’s been 34 years since I saw the last Triple Crown winner in person, so that electricity would have been an exciting new sight to behold. 

Agree with me or not, no one will change my mind on this. I’ll Have Another would have been the horse to bust through racings long-standing barrier. Unfortunately, we are only left to wonder what if.

What if I’ll Have Another won the Belmont stakes by a big margin? What if the world of racing was able to celebrate a brand new Triple Crown winner? What if I’ll Have Another was around to race another year or two?