After winning the Kentucky Derby andthe Preakness aboard "I'll Have Another", Mexican jockey MarioGutierrez is confident his mount can complete the Triple Crown witha victory in the final leg at the upcoming Belmont Stakes. Speaking in Vancouver Wednesday night where he raced at HastingPark Race Course from 2006-2011, the 25-year-old said he came backto the Canadian city to get away from the media frenzy that hasfollowed him since winning the first two legs of the thoroughbredhorse racing's Triple Crown. The Triple Crown is a feat that has only been accomplished 11 timesin history, the last in 1978 when American teenager Steve Cauthendid it aboard "Affirmed". Since 1979, 11 horses have won the firsttwo legs of the Triple Crown only to fall short in the Belmontwhich goes June 9 at Belmont Park outside New York City this year.
"Right now, I came here (to Vancouver) to clear my head a littlebit. There' s still a lot of media, a lot of questions to answeronce I get to New York, so right now just try to enjoy my momenthere," the modest Guiterrez told a media gathering. "I get a little nervous sometimes, but I will try my best to pullit down because at the end of the day it's just going to be myhorse and I. I want to prepare and I want to be 100 percent becauseI want to do my best." After the Canadian-owned, California-based "I'll Have Another" camefrom behind to beat favorite "Bodemeister" at the both the KentuckyDerby and at the Preakness where the Churchill Downs and Pimlicoracetracks were 2 kilometers and 1.9 kilometers respectively,Guiterrez said he felt the horse would have no problems overBelmont's longer 2.4 kilometer track as the three-year-old colt hadperformed well at the distance before, "You know, I'm not going to change the way I ride off the horse.I'm not going to change what we're doing.
We're going to do justthe same. I'm going to let him ride, run his race. I'm going tomake him comfortable and I know when I organize him he will give mehis race because he has given it to me in the past withoutdisappointment." Guiterrez, who will travel to New York Monday, said he expects toget about 10 mounts on other horses at Belmont Park before thefinal leg of the Triple Crown to get used to the track. Calling his horse "a fighter" that "likes to win," Guiterrez saidhe was going into Belmont with no particular plan, and win or losehe would be happy with what has been accomplished. "Lot of people want to give you advice, but like I say, at the endof the day it is just going to be me and my horse.
I just want toprepare myself 100 percent for that day. I'm going to do myhomework, you know. Nobody believes in the horse at the KentuckyDerby. They told me I was going to melt down, too many people, thesame thing for the Preakness," he said.
"You can't change the way people are going to think because they'regoing to tell you about it. I just want to be there on my bestbecause my horse will be at his best and whatever' s meant tohappen it will happen.".
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