{"id":1244,"date":"2012-05-30T09:41:53","date_gmt":"2012-05-30T14:41:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/equestrianinfluence.com\/horsehappenings\/?p=1244"},"modified":"2020-01-14T12:26:12","modified_gmt":"2020-01-14T17:26:12","slug":"triple-crown-hopeful-ill-have-another-reunited-with-exercise-rider-jonny-garcia-for-morning-gallop","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/equestrianinfluence.com\/horsehappenings\/triple-crown-hopeful-ill-have-another-reunited-with-exercise-rider-jonny-garcia-for-morning-gallop\/","title":{"rendered":"Triple Crown hopeful I\u2019ll Have Another reunited with exercise rider Jonny Garcia for morning gallop"},"content":{"rendered":"

BELMONT<\/span>\u00a0, N.Y. \u2013 Triple Crown hopeful\u00a0I\u2019ll Have Another<\/strong>\u00a0was reunited with his regular exercise rider, Jonny Garcia, Tuesday morning for his routine gallop over Belmont Park \u2019s main track in preparation for the Grade 1, $1 million\u00a0Belmont Stakes\u00a0on June 9.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The 25-year-old Garcia, who had not been aboard I\u2019ll Have Another since he added the Preakness to his victory in the Kentucky Derby, said the chestnut colt felt just the same as he did before winning the first two legs of racing\u2019s Triple Crown.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe feels the same now and he feels like the same horse,\u201d said Garcia, speaking through fellow exercise rider and interpreter Humberto Gomez, who had galloped the horse the past four mornings. \u201cI think [ Belmont Park ] is pretty much the same [as Churchill Downs and Pimlico]; the only difference is that this track is a little heavier.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

O\u2019Neill had nothing but praise for Gomez and Hector Ramos, who had filled in for Garcia at Belmont while he went to visit his family and then awaited his license to work as an exercise rider in New York , which he received Monday evening.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll Have Another has looked good every day here, but it\u2019s nice having Jonny back on him and having Jonny tell me how he feels so good, that he\u2019s handling the surface great and is stretching as good as ever,\u201d said the trainer. \u201cHe\u2019s been on him since Day 1. So that\u2019s definitely an added bonus to a great day.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I\u2019ll Have Another, who noticeably picked up the pace coming through the stretch Tuesday morning, is scheduled to gallop into the 1 \u00bd-mile Belmont, in which he is seeking to become racing\u2019s 12th<\/sup>\u00a0Triple Crown winner and first since Affirmed in 1978.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe gallops strong,\u201d said O\u2019Neill. \u201cWe\u2019re not too worried about the times, more so with how he\u2019s moving and switching leads out there. You can tell, especially with the four white polo bandages, by the dirt covering all four bandages equally, how he\u2019s switching properly all the way around. I was very happy with the way he looked today.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

*\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 *\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 *<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Richard Migliore knows his away around the Belmont Park oval, having won 1,352 races from 9,922 mounts at the venue during his 30-plus year career. During the week of the Belmont Stakes, the retired jockey will share his Belmont expertise by circumnavigating the 1 \u00bd-mile main track on horseback with Mario Gutierrez, who will attempt to sweep the Triple Crown aboard\u00a0I\u2019ll Have Another<\/strong>\u00a0in the June 9 Belmont Stakes.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

During the tour, which likely will be conducted June 6 or 7, Migliore will ride five-time Grade 1 winner Lava Man, who now serves as I\u2019ll Have Another\u2019s pony. Gutierrez will be aboard a horse from trainer Doug O\u2019Neill\u2019s barn that has yet to be determined. In 2007, Migiliore guided Student Council to an upset victory over Lava Man in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic at Del Mar.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In addition to serving as a television analyst for NYRA, Migliore works as a racing office associate and oversees the association\u2019s apprentice jockey program.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n