The brilliant colt could no longer exceed expectations; he could only win or be labeled a disappointment. He has having fun.
They needn’t have feared.
As soon as American Pharoah broke from the gate, Baffert’s anxiety subsided.
“I was getting pretty nervous there”, said trainer Bob Baffert. “He makes me emotional, because he’s just a gift from God or something”.
Zayat and Baffert were each guaranteed $75,000 for racing American Pharoah in the Haskell. “He puts all of his energy and effort into the right things and that makes all of the difference”, he said.
“This horse, he just keeps bringing it”, said a hoarse trainer as he reflected on an imperious performance.
Jockey Victor Espinoza, hailed the victory as “easy” in a race where he barely moved a muscle.
And Zayat’s son and racing manager, Justin, has been saying his choice would be the Travers, which announced it would raise its purse by $350,000 to $1.6 million if American Pharoah runs. Two of them, Bayern last year and Coil in 2011, finished last.
“People know what he’s doing every step, and everybody knows where he is”, says the white-haired Baffert.
American Pharoah Receives Breeders’ Cup Spot in Haskell Invitational: The Triple Crown is over, so now the racing world is focusing on horses pointing towards the Breeders’ Cup, specifically the Classic.
American Pharoah entered the stretch with a daylight lead over the fading pacesetter, running the mile in 1:34 2/5. His 2 1/4-length margin of victory over Keen Ice could have been greater had Espinoza not eased him in the stretch.
This wasn’t the Belmont Stakes.
“He did everything by himself”, Espinoza said. The owner’s concern was whether he was rushing Pharoah back to the track.
In the $141,246 Battle of the Belles, the David Menary-trained Free Show and the Blake MacIntosh pupil Mattjestic Tempo, winners of their elimination heats, will clash for early supremacy in the nine-horse field. The race came 29 days after the Belmont.
The dilemma of being a super star, a Triple Crown victor, a very rich racehorse, a great sire and an incredible fan favorite undoubtedly come with an element of decision-making that must weigh heavily on his connections.
Actor Bill Murray turned out to watch him run Sunday.
As for American Pharoah, just another day at the office for the coolest, calmest, best horse this continent has seen in a generation. He recorded record times in each of the Triple Crown races.
Won the Derby by three lengths, the Preakness by eight and the Belmont by a then-record 25 lengths. “I used to be called the American pharaoh in high school”. Champions Shared Belief and California Chrome are both on the sidelines, leaving Honor Code and Noble Bird as American Pharoah’s only true challengers, unless the lovely mare Beholder decides to take on the boys. “Only he can tell me, from watching him work”. He was paraded at Churchill Downs and Santa Anita Park before tens of thousands of fans.
Boo birds: As loud as the cheers were for American Pharoah, the boos for New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie were equally as overwhelming when he was introduced as part of the trophy presentation.
