American Pharoah Gearing Back Up for Belmont Stakes

American Pharoah galloped on the main track at Churchill Downs on Friday in preparation for the Belmont Stakes. It was his first time galloping since he won the Preakness Stakes on May 16. (Photos courtesy of Reed Palmer/Churchill Downs)
Kentucky Derby winner American Pharoah had his first gallop since his seven-length runaway victory in the Preakness Stakes in preparation for the final leg of the Triple Crown, the $1.5-million Belmont Stakes on June 6.
The Zayat Stables homebred galloped 1 3/16 miles on the Churchill Downs main track Friday at 8:30 a.m. ET following the renovation break with exercise rider Jorge Alvarez up.
“It went nice, didn’t seem like he was tired or anything,” said Alvarez. “He came back pretty much the same [after Derby]. So far, no difference.”
Alvarez said one of the best qualities that American Pharoah boasts is his ability to cover a lot of ground.
PHAROAH ON THE TRACK FRIDAY

“His stride is very different from a lot of horses – that’s an advantage,” he said.
Alvarez, who has worked horses for trainer Bob Baffert for seven years, also was the exercise rider for Pioneerof the Nile, American Pharoah’s sire.
“They are both good horses,” he said, “but since day one this horse [American Pharoah] has covered so much ground.”
Baffert’s assistant, Jimmy Barnes, also was pleased with the horse’s gallop on the Churchill main track.
“It went very nice,” Barnes said. “He just had a 1 3/16-mile gallop today, but it went very nice. He’s perfect – just the way he always is – so we’ll gallop a little bit farther maybe [Saturday] and then by Sunday we’ll be back to his normal gallop at a mile and a half.
“The best horses cover the track well – they have a large stride and they’re big movers, which he is. Usually, the good ones are like that.”
AMERICAN PHAROAH