In a thrilling duel to the wire, Kentucky Derby winner I'll Have Another won the Grade 1 $1,000,000 Preakness Stakes over Bodemeister. A record crowd of 121,309 came out to Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland to witness I'll Have Another win the 1 3/16 mile race and grab the second jewel in the Triple Crown.
The Flower Alley colt became only the 12th horse to garner a chance at the Triple Crown since Affirmed won it in 1978. Should I'll Have Another win the Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York on June 9, he'll become the 12th horse to win the elusive Triple Crown and go down in history as the horse that broke the 34-year Triple Crown drought.
Although Doug O'Neil's I'll Have Another chased down Bob Baffert's front-running Bodemeister to win the Kentucky Derby two weeks ago, many, including the Preakness bettors that made Bodemeister the 8-5 favorite, did not think I'll Have Another could do it again. However, that's exactly what happened in Saturday's race.
"I’m just numb," said O'Neill from the winner's circle. "I could see him and I felt like he was coming, but you never want to expect that he’s going to be in front. I saw him coming. It seemed like the stretch never ends. Thank God. Incredible."