Superstar Performance by American Pharoah in Arkansas

American Pharoah won the Arkansas Derby by an easy eight lengths to most likely lock up Kentucky Derby favoritism. (Photos by Coady Photography)
After a goosebumps-inducing performance on Saturday at Oaklawn Park in the $1-million Arkansas Derby, American Pharoah will head to Churchill Downs as the most likely favorite for the Kentucky Derby.
Sure, undefeated stablemate Dortmund could challenge for favoritism in the first jewel of the Triple Crown, but American Pharoah had the look of a budding superstar in winning the Arkansas Derby by eight lengths.
The 2014 champion 2-year-old male raced a couple of lengths behind a blistering pace set by Bridget’s Big Luvy through an opening quarter-mile in :22.77 and a half-mile in :45.99. Prior to the race there were questions about his ability to rate behind an eager pacesetter, and American Pharoah did just that with no problem.
When jockey Victor Espinoza gave him his cue, American Pharoah reeled in the front-runner on the far turn, and when Mr. Z challenged approaching the stretch, the champ simply shrugged off the challenge. He surged well clear to a commanding 5 ½-length advantage as the other seven horses were left to pick up the minor awards with American Pharoah’s backside becoming smaller and smaller off in the distance of the Oaklawn stretch.
“The way this horse runs is unbelievable,” said Espinoza, who won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness in 2014 with California Chrome. “I don’t feel like he’s running that fast and then I look back and he’s so far ahead. He was doing it by himself and doing it easy.”
The Pioneerof the Nile colt completed 1 1/8 miles in 1:48.52 on a track rated as fast for his fourth straight dominant graded stakes victory for owner Zayat Stables and Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert.
AMERICAN PHAROAH DOMINATES AT OAKLAWN

“He’s amazing horse,” Baffert said. “With the way he works, he's always been a professional horse from the start. We were hoping he could do something like that and he showed it today. We're so excited about him.”
With American Pharoah and Santa Anita Derby victor Dortmund, Baffert has a heck of a hand for the 2015 Kentucky Derby, almost certainly better on paper than he had in 2001 with 9-to-5 favorite Point Given and third choice Congaree or in 1998 when he saddled favorite Indian Charlie and Real Quiet, who won as the fifth betting choice.
“I don't want to get ahead of myself. but Dortmund is another one who we don't yet know how good he is,” Baffert said. “We're got a one-two punch and that's a good position to be in."
Baffert also trains Santa Anita Derby runner-up One Lucky Dane, who has enough points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby Leaderboard to qualify as well.
Since fading to fifth in his career debut last August, American Pharoah has been untouchable on the racetrack. He won the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity by 4 ¾ lengths and the Grade 1 FrontRunner Stakes by 3 ¼ lengths, both in September 2014, which allowed him to win the Eclipse Award as champion 2-year-old male. American Pharoah’s 3-year-old debut was a 6 ¼-length runaway in the Grade 2 Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn, and the Arkansas Derby made it four straight by a combined margin of 22 ¼ lengths.
It was clear during his 2-year-old season that American Pharoah was a special horse, and he sure looked outstanding in his first start of the year. But the ease with which he shook clear entering the stretch of the Arkansas Derby, despite being close to a very fast pace, was electrifying. American Pharoah is maturing and getting better as many of the best 3-year-old do at this time of year, and that’s a scary proposition for his opponents in the Kentucky Derby in three weeks.
“He’s matured substantially,” Baffert said. “We just worried about getting a clean break and he did, and then Victor rode him with a lot of confidence. When that other horse got off to that lead, it was either that he's going to rate or he’s going to be empty today. He’s a good horse and he keeps moving forward.”
Southwest Stakes winner Far Right closed from last for second to bank 40 points and cement his spot in the field for the Kentucky Derby. Mr. Z held on for third, and with 34 points he, too, has a place in the Derby solidified should owner Zayat Stables decide to send him to Churchill for the first jewel of the Triple Crown. In addition to American Pharoah and Mr. Z, Zayat Stables also owns Gotham Stakes winner El Kabeir.
For an Equibase chart, click here.