2012 Belmont Stakes Set For June 9; Long Layoff For I'll Have Another Triple Crown Watchers

It's a question a confused America asks literally every year around this time: When is the Belmont Stakes? The 2012 answer: It's June 9, in confusingly named Elmont, New York, and reigning Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner I'll Have Another—but not that horse's nemesis Bodemeister—will be running with the chance to win the first Triple Crown in horse-racing since Affirmed in 1978.

I'll Have Another is the 12th horse to come into the Belmont Stakes with a chance to win the Triple Crown since then; four of those horses, most recently Smarty Jones in 2004, have finished second, with Smarty Jones coming within a length of winning at Belmont and taking home the Triple Crown. (Real Quiet, who was a photo finish away from a win in 1998 a year after Silver Charm nearly did it, remains the closest to taking the Belmont Stakes of the 12 horses.)

So: you have a few weeks until it's time for Triple Crown mania to take hold for good. Until then, keep thinking of cool horse-racing names, and someday you too may come within a Belmont Stakes race of horse-racing's biggest prize, just like I'll Have Another.

2012 Triple Crown: Trainer Calls I'll Have Another, "A Special Horse"

I'll Have Another won the Preakness Stakes on Saturday, setting himself up for a historic potential Triple Crown victory.

Preakness Results 2012: I'll Have Another Wins Preakness In Thrilling Fashion

Update: Full Preakness results are here.

Following the 2012 Kentucky Derby, there was a belief that despite finishing in second, Bodemeister might have been the best horse. Heading down the stretch of the 2012 Preakness, it looked like that theory may have some merit, as Bodemeister again held the lead. However, I'll Have Another delivered a repeat of his performance at The Derby, as he finished strong to pass Bodemeister and win the 2012 Preakness.Creative Cause finished the race third.

With the victory, I'll Have Another will head to Belmont Park for the Belmont Stakes with the opportunity to become the first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed in 1978. I'll Have Another will be the 12th horse since Affirmed to enter the Belmont Stakes having won the first two races of the Triple Crown. The last horse to enter the Belmont Stakes with a chance to win the Triple Crown was Big Brown back in 2008

For more on this race, stick with SB Nation St. Louis. For more on the 2012 Preakness, check out SB Nation's StoryStream.

I'll Have Another Keeps Triple Crown Dream Alive With Preakness Win

I'll Have Another and jockey Mario Gutierrez look to win the second leg of the Triple Crown.