I'll Have Another is the main attraction in the 2012 Belmont Stakes thanks to his potential Triple Crown title, but the New York State Racing and Wagering Board is making a splash all on their own right now. They have created a strict drug enforcement rule requiring all participating horses to spend the final three days in a detention barn before the running of the Belmont Stakes on Saturday.
The rule isn't exactly a big hit among the owners and trainers. Dullahan's trainer (Dale Romans) doesn't like the New York Racing Association's decision:
"[The New York State Racing and Wagering Board] thinks we're all crooks," said Romans. "[Horses] are not cars that you can just go and move from one garage to the next.
More 2012 Belmont Stakes coverage from SB Nation St. Louis:
- The Triple Crown coverage has been great news for NBC, who looks to benefit handsomely when the ratings come in.
- Things could change before race day, but I'll Have Another will almost certainly remain the favorite.
- I, for one, find it comforting to know that horses speak human sports cliche as well as humans do.
For more on the Preakness 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 A Beginner's Guide To Following Horse Racing and a glossary of horse racing terms.