With the Belmont Stakes coming up on Saturday, I'll Have Another is one win away from completing the first Triple Crown Championship in horse racing since Affirmed accomplished the feat in 1978. According to the horse's trainer Doug O'Neill, the group around I'll Have Another understand what they need to do on Saturday.
Courtesy of Racing Daily Form:
"He's four more good gallops away from making history," O'Neill said.
With that in mind, O'Neill has decided to save those gallops. While other horses such as Dullahan, Paynter and Union Rags have gone on runs of varying distance, O'Neill has opted to have I'll Have Another go on training gallops rather than sprints. Apparently, the trainer has seen enough to feel confident about the horse and his chances.
"I wouldn't be so upright if the horse wasn't doing so good. He's doing well. He's eating good. He looks well ... I'm very confident. Not cocky or arrogant, but confident."
As a point of reference, Dullahan, the second favorite to win the race, ran four furlongs on Sunday. Union Rags ran five furlongs and Paynter ran seven furlongs.
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