The Los Angeles Times reported Saturday, “On a Saturday that brought blue skies, perfect temperatures and a record crowd of 121,309 here at venerable Pimlico racetrack, the horse who has never been favored in a race and has been mostly under-appreciated by the public, even the racing public, won the 137th Preakness.

“Now, it is I’ll Have Another who will take a shot at history. The last horse to win the Triple Crown was Affirmed in 1978. There have been only 11, going back to Sir Barton in 1919. The last horse to win the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness was Big Brown in 2008, and he was mysteriously pulled up in the Belmont…

“I’ll Have Another, named for owner J. Paul Reddam’s cookie-begging habits at home in Sunset Beach, has yet to lose in 2012 and now has winnings of $3,029,600 in seven races.”

Here at the Dispatch, we like to think of I’ll Have Another as a Santa Monica horse. Doug O’Neill, his trainer lives in Santa Monica, and Reddam, a Canadian, taught philosophy at USC until he became a financier and owner of a racing stable. Cool moves!

And there is nothing quite as beautiful as a thoroughbred colt pounding down the track, pulling away from the other horses.