American Pharoah Gallops Again at Churchill

American Pharoah continued his preparations for the $1.5 million Belmont Stakes (gr. I) by galloping 1 3/16 miles on the Churchill Downs main track under regular exercise rider Jorge Alvarez May 23.

It was the second time the Zayat Stables' homebred son of Pioneerof the Nile   galloped at Churchill since his arrival at trainer Bob Baffert's barn May 18 after his victory in the Xpressbet.com Preakness Stakes (gr. I). Baffert's chief assistant, Jimmy Barnes, continues to be pleased with the manner in which the horse is training for the June 6 Belmont.

"These are just our easy days, so we're basically just keeping him happy and keeping some weight on him," Barnes said. "We don't get serious until another week or so."

Barnes is still unsure as to when the Triple Crown hopeful will resume breezing, and said Baffert, who will return to Louisville for a one-day stopover May 26, will determine when the horse will work.

"He hasn't decided whether he will have one or two workouts," Barnes said. "He should be letting me know soon. He'll fly in Monday evening and will be in on Tuesday morning, and I'm sure that's when he will start deciding."



Barnes said that the horse will likely ship to Belmont Park June 2.

Meanwhile, a couple of American Pharoah's potential Belmont Stakes challengers, Keen Ice and Conquest Curlinate, also jogged on the Churchill main track. The connections of both contenders are happy with the way their horses are training.

"He came out of his work good and jogged this morning. Everything looks perfect," trainer Dale Romans said of Jerry Crawford's Keen Ice, who breezed six furlongs in 1:15 flat May 21.

Norman Casse, assistant to his father, Mark Casse, spoke highly of his Belmont hopeful Conquest Curlinate.

"He looked really good this morning," Norman Casse said. "He'll be back galloping (May 24), but he looked good this morning."