I'll Have Another: No Work Before Preakness

I'll Have Another  , winner of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), will train up to the Preakness Stakes (gr. I) on gallops alone, trainer Doug O’Neill said during a national teleconference May 10.

The son of Flower Alley had a series of long works at Santa Anita Park prior to the Santa Anita Derby (gr. I) and did not have a work over the Churchill Downs surface before the Kentucky Derby.

“I love the way he went (at Pimlico) this morning and he’ll just continue to gallop that way up to the race,” O’Neill said. “He hasn’t missed an oat in months, he’s full of energy, and he’s sound. He looked fantastic on the track today, and so far so good.

“Coming back in two weeks, you can’t have anything go wrong. And, knock on wood, we haven’t had any hiccups so far. It’s so difficult running in three different states in five weeks and not encounter one little bump or pimple.”

O’Neill elected to pass up the stakes barn and not have I’ll Have Another in the traditional Derby winner’s stall. Instead, he is one barn away where the horses competing in the undercard stakes will be stabled.

“They told me there’s always a big hoopla at the stakes barn, and I like having my own serene spot and a nice quiet environment,” O’Neill said. “But the barn he’s in is very similar and right next door, so in hindsight I guess we should have gone over there.”