But his popular Twitter feed lives on.
I'll Have Another, a three-year-old colt, won the Kentucky Derby in May as a 15-1 longshot, then the Preakness Stakes two weeks later. Winning Saturday's Belmont would have made him just the 12th horse to win horse racing's elusive Triple Crown since 1919. Instead, fans will have to settle settle for more sassy, humorous tweets from the @Ill_HaveAnother Twitter account.
He used the social network to address fans directly about Friday's sad news and announce a press briefing:
I am out of the Belmont. Thank you to all of you that have supported me through the Triple Crown. Press conference Barn 2 at 1 pm EST— I'll Have Another (@Ill_HaveAnother) June 8, 2012
I will write more after Dad and Mr. Reddam speak to the press. I am sorry to disappoint so many fans and to miss the chance to make history.— I'll Have Another (@Ill_HaveAnother) June 8, 2012
A fragment of the horse's name trended worldwide Friday morning as the message went out to his 8,500 followers. That's a cadre of fans and bemused social media users that I'll Have Another has been building up since joining the network on April 26. He said at the time that he joined the network at the behest of his lead pony Lava Man (who also has a Twitter profile), and whom he refers to on Twitter as "Coach."
On the track, some controversy began to envelop I'll Have Another in the lag between the Preakness and Belmont. His trainer, Doug O'Neill, has had a number of brushes with racing authorities over illegal supplements given to his horses. New rules at the Belmont this year were designed to increase the oversite and security of contending horses.
I'll Have Another was elusive with the press too. Multiple Mashable requests for an interview with the tweeting horse ran into interference from Doug O'Neill Racing.
On Twitter, @Ill_HaveAnother won over media and casual observers over the past several sweeks with his wit and frequent retweets and replies to fans. When media frequently referred to the horses' high-security barn as a "detention barn," he posted this tweet:
They keep saying I am in a detention barn, we are starting to think of songs to sing inside the barn.I vote Jailhouse Rock. Suggestions?— I'll Have Another (@Ill_HaveAnother) June 8, 2012
He also banters with fans on a variety of topics:
@Matt_scherer I will get the "pick of the litter" thats for sure and a motive to run on its own ** wink**— I'll Have Another (@Ill_HaveAnother) June 8, 2012
@SBJLizMullen @BelmontStakes there are fake me's out there? #nicetry #letmeatem— I'll Have Another (@Ill_HaveAnother) June 4, 2012
Coach says I need to get some shut eye now so I'm headed to count grade 1 wins, er, sheep. Nite twitterverse, more fun mañana.— I'll Have Another (@Ill_HaveAnother) June 4, 2012
But the anticipation for Satuday's race screeched to a halt with Friday's news that tendinitis in I'll Have Another's left front leg would bar him from competing. Later Friday, he used his Twitter account to post one more bittersweet message to fans and followers:
I am retired, but safe and that is the important thing. I want to wish the other contenders a healthy trip. #nextchapter #teamoneill— I'll Have Another (@Ill_HaveAnother) June 8, 2012