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Trainer Doug O'Neill believes his Triple Crown hope I'll Have Another has the bases well covered after drawing barrier 11 for his shot at history in Saturday's Belmont Stakes in New York.
The Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner was installed a 4-5 favorite for the Belmont after Wednesday's draw for the 1½ mile final leg of the most famous race series in world racing.
"Being in the 11 hole, we'll be able to see what everyone else is doing," said O'Neill.
"If they're crawling, he'll be leading the crawl, if they're flying, he'll sit behind the horses that are flying."
"He's doing great. He's continued to gallop good, his energy's been good, his appetite's been strong, and he's handled this whole journey as good as you could possibly ask a horse.
"He hasn't lost a bit of his flesh at all, his coat continues to shine and look great, so we couldn't ask for him to be coming in to this any better.
"It's been an unbelievable ride.
"Everything's going good and every day we give thanks to be part of the I'll Have Another team."
I'll Have Another will be attempting to end a record 34-year Triple Crown drought, since Affirmed won the treble in 1978.
A victory in the "Test of the Champions" would make I'll Have Another racing's 12th Triple Crown. Since 1978 11 horses have stepped into the starting gate for the Belmont with a chance to sweep the series, and all have come up short, most recently Big Brown in 2008.
Since 1905 barrier 11 has produced two Belmont winners -- Sarava, whose victory at 70-1 came at the expense of Triple Crown hopeful War Emblem in 2002, and Conquistador Cielo, who was the first of trainer Woody Stephens' five straight Belmont winners in 1982.
In the Kentucky Derby, I'll Have Another became the first horse to win the Run for the Roses from post 19 at Churchill Downs, and in the Preakness he left from post position 9 in an 11-horse field.
"We've been toward the outside in the other two Triple Crown races, so it's a good spot to be in," O'Neill said.
His jockey Mario Gutierrez will be riding in his first Belmont Stakes after five straight wins on the colt.
"He just has so much confidence in the horse," said owner J. Paul Reddam, who on the advice of O'Neill's brother, Dennis, purchased I'll Have Another as a two-year-old for $35,000 at the Ocala Breeders' Sale.
I'll Have Another will be facing the most Belmont rivals encountered by a Triple Crown hopeful since Charismatic finished third in a field of 12 in 1999.
Heading the challengers are Dullahan, who finished third in the Derbyat Churchill Downs, and Union Rags, who was seventh.
Dullahan, who was made the morning-line second choice at 5-1 and is the only horse besides I'll Have Another with more than one G1 win on his record, having wonthe 2011 Breeders' Futurity and the 2012 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland.
"I wouldn't trade places with anyone," said his trainer Dale Romans. "I want to walk out of here with 120,000 people booing me."
Dullahan drew post position 5.
After Union Rags endured a terrible trip in the Derby, where he was pinched back at the start and was held up in the run several times, the decision was made by his trainer Michael Matz to skip the Preakness to await the Belmont.
"I really thought this horse could win the Triple Crown, but everything went the wrong way and we had to make a new plan," said Matz.
Union Rags was listed at 6-1 on the morning line after drawing gate 3 with John Velazquez, a four-time NYRA champion and winner of the 2007 Belmont aboard the filly Rags to Riches, in the saddle.
Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert and owner Ahmed Zayat have left Derby and Preakness runner up Bodemeister at home and will rely on the promising Paynter, an 8-1 chance on the morning line.
His two wins came in a maiden and an allowance race and has a second in the G3 Derby Trial and a fourth in the Santa Anita Derby behind I'll Have Another.
Paynter drew post 9 and will be ridden by Mike Smith, winner of the 2010 Belmont aboard Drosselmeyer.
BELMONT STAKES
$1 million, 3YOs, 1 1/2 miles, all horses carry 126 pounds
1. Street Life, Jose Lezcano, Chad Brown, 12-1
2. Unstoppable U, Junior Alvarado, Ken McPeek, 30-1
3. Union Rags, John Velazquez, Michael Matz, 6-1
4. Atigun, Julien Leparoux, Ken McPeek, 30-1
5. Dullahan, Javier Castellano, Dale Romans, 5-1
6. Ravelo's Boy, Alex Solis, Manuel Azpurua, 50-1
7. Five Sixteen, Rosie Napravnik, Dominick Schettino, 50-1
8. Guyana Star Dweej, Kent Desormeaux, Doodnauth Shivmangal, 50-1
9. Paynter, Mike Smith, Bob Baffert, 8-1
10. Optimizer, Corey Nakatani, D. Wayne Lukas, 20-1
11. I'll Have Another, Mario Gutierrez, Doug O'Neill, 4-5
12. My Adonis, Ramon Dominguez, Kelly Breen, 20-1
