I'll Have Another has another: the Preakness [VIDEO]

I'll Have Another has another - and not just another jewel out of the 2012 Triple Crown - he overtook Bodemeister once again, steamrolling his way down the final stretch to win the Preakness Stakes in the last strides on Saturday, keeping alive the hopes of horse racing fans of a long-missing Triple Crown winner.

It was the 137th running of the Preakness Stakes, and with I'll Have Another taking the win, horse racing fans can still hope that they might still yet see at Triple Crown winner. The last Triple Crown winner was Affirmed, in 1978. Affirmed's jockey was Steve Cauthen, his trainer was Laz Barrera, and he was owned and bred by Harbor View Farm.

The 2012 Preakness Stakes turned into a near repeat of the 2012 Kentucky Derby. The difference was a much closer finish. In the rematch, I'll Have Another beat Bodemeister by a neck after winning the Kentucky Derby by 1 1/2 lengths.

I'll Have Another ran the 1 3/16 miles of the race in 1:55.94. He paid $8.40, $3.80 and $2.80. Meanwhile, Bodemeister, who was the favorite, returned $3.20 and $2.80. In third position was Creative Cause, who paid $3.60 to show.

Bodemeister broke to the lead and held it for most of the race. As the horses headed for home, I'll Have Another took off, and overtook Bodemeister at the last second. With that, I'll Have Another becomes the first horse since Big Brown in 2008 to win the first two races of the Triple Crown.

Winning jockey Mario Gutierrez, who also rode I'll Have Another in the Kentucky Derby, said that "He [I'll Have Another] has a tremendous kick in the end. It's not me, it's him. He just keeps proving people wrong."

It was trainer Doug O'Neill first Preakness win. He said: "When I saw Mario get him in stride midstretch, I just had faith." O'Neill added, "We're thinking Triple Crown, baby. He's a special horse. We'll see how he comes out of it, and if he comes out of it in good shape, we're heading to New York, baby."

The Kentucky Derby is 1 1/4 miles in length, while the Preakness Stakes is 1 3/16 miles. The bane of many would-be Triple Crown winners has been the Belmont Stakes, which at 1 1/2 miles is longer than the other two races.

However, I'll Have Another might have history on his side. As the last Triple Crown winner, Affirmed won the Kentucky Derby by the same 1 1/2 lengths over Alydar, and then won again at the Preakness by the same neck margin that I'll Have Another bead Bodemeister with.

Watch the 2012 Preakness, below.

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