2012 Belmont Stakes: 'I'll Have Another' Hype Led To Residual Impact

I'll Have Another may not have been able to compete in the 2012 Belmont Stakes and after retiring over the weekend, likely won't ever race again. But the horse and its hype certainly raised the stakes at the race, and attendance there as well.

The gains in attendance at Belmont on Saturday accounted for the largest non-Triple Crown crowd in the race's history, according to the Daily Racing Forum. Further, ontrack handle, all-sources handle on the 13-race Belmont card, and television ratings also jumped significantly since last year.

The New York Racing Association, Belmont's operator, reported a 53.8 percent gain over the crowd last year with attendance of 85,811, compared to 55,779 last year . This was the largest crowd to attend the race when a Triple Crown was not on the line.

As disappointing as it was to not see I'll Have Another in the race, everything seemed to work out just fine.

For more on the Belmont Stakes and the race for the Triple Crown, stay with this StoryStream and check out SB Nation's horse racing blog And Down the Stretch They Come.

2012 Belmont Stakes: Union Rags Is Victorious

The 144th running of the Belmont Stakes lost a lot of luster as there was no chance at a Triple Crown winners since I'll Have Another was scratched on Friday due to a tendon injury, which the horse suffered in a training session.

The race had an exciting finish as Paynter nearly went wire-to-wire to win at Belmont. Paynter sprinted out to an early lead around turn one where they had a large lead over Union Rags as well as the favorite Dullahan.

Paynter kept their lead down the back stretch over Optimizer, Unstoppable U and My Adonis, Union Rags was just behind in fifth place. Then during the races final 100 yards, Union Rags made an incredible run down the rail to edge out Paynter by a head length to win the 2012 Belmont Stakes.

For more on the Belmont Stakes and the race for the Triple Crown, stay with thisStoryStream and check out SB Nation's horse racing blog And Down the Stretch They Come. There, you'll also find a beginner's guide to following horse racing and a glossary of horse racing terms.

2012 Belmont Stakes Odds: Lines Grow Longer, Dullahan Still The Favorite At 5/1

The betting lines have changed from Friday to Saturday with nearly every horses betting line has grown longer. The change in lines has to do with I'll Have Another not racing on Saturday due to suffering a tendon injury.

The favorites are still the same with Dullahan sitting at 5/1, but that is after being at 9/5 odds on Friday night. Union Rags was 3/1 on Friday and has now changed to 6/1 odds, and then Paynter went from 7/2 to now 8/1.

Even the odds for the long shot horses have changed. Ravelo's Boy, Five Sixtenn and Guyana Star Dweek went from 30/1 odds to now all being a 50/1 long shot.

Here are the latest odds for the 2012 Belmont Stakes:

1-Street Life, 12/1
2-Unstoppable U, 30/1
3-Union Rags, 6/1
4-Atigun, 30/1
5-Dullahan, 5/1
6-Ravelo's Boy, 50/1
7-Five Sixteen, 50/1
8-Guyana Star Dweej, 50/1
9-Paynter, 8/1
10-Optimizer, 20/1
11-I'll Have Another, Scratched
12-My Adonis, 20/1

For more on the Belmont Stakes and the race for the Triple Crown, stay with this StoryStream and check out SB Nation's horse racing blog And Down the Stretch They Come. There, you'll also find a beginner's guide to following horse racing and a glossary of horse racing terms.

Watch The Belmont Stakes 2012 Online

Want to watch the 2012 Belmont Stakes? Can't make it to a television for 5:30 p.m. CT? Don't worry -- we've got you covered. NBC Sports' website will be streaming the 2012 Belmont live from its own website. Horse racing fans will be able to watch as horse racing's final leg of the Triple Crown comes and goes on Saturday night.

Though I'll Have Another was scratched, the Belmont still boasts some excellent horses, such as Union Rags, who was favored to win the Kentucky Derby. Dullahan, though, is the new favorite and has been given 9/5 morning odds to win the 2012 Belmont Stakes.

NBC's coverage of the Belmont Stakes will begin at 3:30 p.m. CT. Post time isn't scheduled until 5:30 p.m. CT, so those who want to see only the race should tune in around 5:25 p.m. CT. If you're interested in all the pomp and festivities, by all means, tune in earlier.

For more on the 2012 Belmont Stakes, head over to And Down The Stretch They Come and join the discussion.

Belmont Stakes 2012: Post Positions, TV Schedule, Live Coverage And More

Though there won't be a Triple Crown winner on Saturday evening, the show must go on in New York. The 2012 Belmont Stakes is set to get underway on Saturday evening, even without horse racing's latest star I'll Have Another, who was scratched on Friday and subsequently retired from horse racing.

Post positions, and odds, for the entire field are as follows for the Belmont Stakes:

1. Street Life, 8-1
2. Unstoppable U, 20-1
3. Union Rags, 3-1
4. Atigun, 15-1
5. Dullahan, 9-5
6. Ravelo's Boy, 30-1
7. Five Sixteen, 30-1
8. Guyana Star Dweej, 30-1
9. Paynter, 7-2
10. Optimizer, 15-1
11. I'll Have Another, scratched
12. My Adonis, 15-1

2012 Belmont Stakes: Dullahan Is The New Favorite

The first set of odds have been released for the 2012 Belmont Stakes since the announcement that I'll Have Another has been scratched from Saturday's race. The new favorite is Dullahan who comes in at 9/5 odds, followed by Union Rags at 3/1 and then Paytner at 7/2.

The majority of the betting had previously been on I'll Have Another, but since they are no longer running, and no more possibility of a Triple Crown winner it will be interesting to see where the betting public decides to place their money.

Here are the latest odds:

1-Street Life, 8/1
2-Unstoppable U, 20/1
3-Union Rags, 3/1
4-Atigun, 15/1
5-Dullahan, 9/5
6-Ravelo's Boy, 30/1
7-Five Sixteen, 30/1
8-Guyana Star Dweej, 30/1
9-Paynter, 7/2
10-Optimizer, 15/1
11-I'll Have Another, Scratched
12-My Adonis, 15/1

For more on the Belmont Stakes and the race for the Triple Crown, stay with thisStoryStream and check out SB Nation's horse racing blog And Down the Stretch They Come. There, you'll also find a beginner's guide to following horse racing and a glossary of horse racing terms.

VIDEO: I'll Have Another Retires From Horse Racing

The streak continues for horse racing as there will once again be no Triple Crown winner as I'll Have Another has been scratched from the race due to injury. The injury was a tendon injury which was sustained during Friday morning's training session, and normally a tendon injury is normally not life threatening injury, but if that injury happens again it then the horse might have to be put down.

With the injury, I'll Have Another has retired from horse racing which shakes things up for Saturday's race. With this news, Matt Gardner of SB Nation's horse racing blog And Down the Stretch They Come talks about I'll Have Another's injury, and also what to now expect in Saturday's 2012 Belmont Stakes.

For more on the Belmont Stakes and the race for the Triple Crown, stay with this StoryStream and check out SB Nation's horse racing blog And Down the Stretch They Come. There, you'll also find a beginner's guide to following horse racing and a glossary of horse racing terms.

2012 Belmont Stakes: I'll Have Another Scratched Due To Injury, Loses Chance At Triple Crown

There will be no Triple Crown winner - again. I'll Have Another, considered to be the horse racing industry's best shot yet to claim the first Triple Crown in over three decades, was scratched from the Belmont Stakes with an injury on Friday.

Trainer Doug O'Neil broke the news on the Dan Patrick Show Friday morning:

Doug O'Neill: "I'll Have Another is officially out of the Belmont."

— Dan Patrick Show (@dpshow) June 8, 2012

The nature of the injury has not yet been revealed. The team behind I'll Have Another has a press conference scheduled for 1 p.m ET to discuss the horse's removal from the Belmont:

"We ain't taking any chances," and that the scratch "is a bummer, but far from tragic." O'Neill guessed that I'll Have Another has run his last race.

For more on the Belmont Stakes and the race for the Triple Crown, stay with this StoryStream and check out SB Nation's horse racing blog And Down The Stretch They Come. There, you'll also find A Beginner's Guide To Following Horse Racing and a glossary of horse racing terms.

2012 Belmont Stakes: I'll Have Another Needs To Keep To Their Training Schedule

The 2012 Belmont Stakes are just over a week away on June 9 and the closer the date comes the more closely everything is broken down for the triple crown chances of I'll Have Another.

Matt Gardner of SB Nation's horse racing blog And Down the Stretch they Come discusses the importance of keeping to a normal training sessions intact as well as avoiding injuries. I'll Have Another has already been out at the track at Belmont taking in training sessions to get used to the field, and so far the routine has been kept and there have been no missed sessions.

Injuries are another concern and Gardner talks about the 2008 Belmont Stakes where Big Brown had a minor injury a few weeks before their triple crown attempt which caused the horse to miss training time to recover. Ultimately Big Brown did not win the triple crown, and it may or may not have been due to the injury but the missed practice sessions took Big Brown out of their routine.

The message that is coming across is that a typical practice routine needs to be kept for I'll Have Another to have their best shot at winning at Belmont.

Belmont Stakes 2012: I'll Have Another Narrowly Avoids Training Accident

I'll Have Another is the overwhelming favorite to win the Belmont Stakes on June 9th and become the first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed accomplished the feat in 1978, a span of 34 years. But those hopes almost came to a screeching halt during a training run at Belmont this afternoon.

After another horse threw his rider off, he ran straight in the direction of I'll Have Another, almost causing a serious collision. CBS New York has more on the story:

O'Neil says his Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner was walking a few feet from the outside rail when another horse threw his rider and came "screaming up the outside rail" in the same direction I'll Have Another was walking.

The trainer says the horse went between the rail and I'll Have Another, and that exercise rider Jonny Garcia told him the horse grazed his boot. The trainer feared a disastrous collision was imminent.

Fortunately, the catastrophic accident was avoided and I'll Have Another is fine. The horse is currently the overwhelming favorite to win the race at 13/10 odds.

For lots more on the Belmont Stakes and the Triple Crown, please visit And Down the Stretch they Come.

Belmont Stakes 2012: Latest Odds

Unlike the Kentucky Derby or Preakness, I'll Have Another is favored to win a Triple Crown race. The Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner is the odds-on favorite to win this year's Belmont Stakes, as I'll Have Another is on the cusp of horse racing history.

The horse racing world hasn't seen a Triple Crown winner since 1978, and the odds makers are saying that it's quite likely that we will come June 9. I'll Have Another is easily the favorite to win the longest Triple Crown race. The odds for the entire field, courtesy of Bovada, are as follows:

• Alpha 15/1
• Atigun 25/1
• Dullahan 5/1
• Five Sixteen 50/1
• Guyana Star Dweej 50/1
• I'll Have Another 13/10
• Optimizer 30/1
• Paynter 9/1
• Street Life 15/1
• Union Rags 5/1
• Unstoppable U 28/1
• Ravelo's Boy 50/1

Belmont Stakes 2012: I'll Have Another Remains Betting Favorite, But Anything Can Happen

There have only been 11 winners of horse racing's Triple Crown. On Saturday, June 9, I'll Have Another will attempt to become the 12th horse to accomplish the feat and the first since 1978 as he goes for the win in the 2012 Triple Crown.

The horse that has captured the country's imagination over the past two months will be running the Belmont Stakes without Bodemeister, the odds-on favorite that I'll Have Another chased down in the home stretch in both the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes.

With Bodemeister, Gemologist and other strong runners not participating in the Belmont Stakes, I'll Have Another is the current favorite to win. As of Tuesday, the betting odds for the Belmont Stakes have I'll Have Another at 5/4 to win, followed by Union Rags at 5/1 and Paynter at 9/1. Dullahan remains a threat to win at 11/2.

It would still be a tremendous feat if I'll Have Another manages to win, regardless of the odds. The Triple Crown is one of the most elusive championships in sports for a reason and there will be an entire field of horses attempting to make sure the Triple Crown drought continues for another year.

For lots more on the Belmont Stakes and the Triple Crown, please visit And Down the Stretch they Come.

2012 Triple Crown: Early Odds Say I'll Have Another Is Belmont Stakes Favorite

I'll Have Another will be the talk of the sports world until he runs at the Belmont Stakes on June 9, and early odds suggest that he'll do something for the first time before he even steps on the track -- enter as the favorite.

With Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes runner-up Bodemeister out of the field, I'll Have Another was the easy choice to win the Belmont.

Here are the early odds that are likely to fluctuate over the next three weeks:

I'll Have Another 3:2

Union Rags 9:2

Dullahan 5:1

Paynter 6:1

Optimizer 12:1

Mark Valeski 15:1

Alpha 18:1

Atigun 20:1

Five Sixteen 20:1

Rousing Sermon 20:1

Street Life 20:1

Guyana Star Dweej 30:1

Stealcase 30:1

A win for I'll Have Another will make him the first horse to win the Triple Crown since Affirmed did it in 1978.

For lots more on the Belmont Stakes and the Triple Crown, please visit And Down the Stretch they Come.

Preakness 2012: I'll Have Another Edges Out Bodemeister For The Victory

I'll Have Another kept alive their shot at winning horse racings first triple crown when they won the 137th Preakness Stakes on Saturday evening by edging out the favorite Bodemeister by a neck. The favorite to win the Preakness was Bodemeister and they looked very much like they were going to win the race.

Preakness 2012: Post Time, Positions, TV Coverage And More

I'll Have Another looks to keep the Triple Crown dream alive in Baltimore, as the 2012 Preakness is set to be held on Saturday evening.