American Pharoah Happy at Churchill, Challengers Also Thriving
Image:
Description:
American Pharoah at Churchill Downs, where he is preparing for the 2015 Belmont Stakes. (Photo by Eclipse Sportswire)
Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner American Pharoah continued his preparations for the $1.5-million Belmont Stakes by galloping 1 3/16 miles on the Churchill Downs main track under regular exercise rider Jorge Alvarez on Saturday morning.
Saturday was his second time galloping on the track since the homebred Pioneerof the Nile colt arrived at trainer Bob Baffert's Churchill stable on Monday afternoon. Baffert’s assistant Jimmy Barnes said American Pharoah continues to look good and appears to be doing well.
“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 unsure when the Triple Crown hopeful will resume breezing. Baffert, who will be back in Louisville for a one-day stopover on Tuesday, 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."
Possible Belmont Stakes Field
Horse
Trainer
Most Recent Race
American Pharoah
Bob Baffert
Won Preakness
Carpe Diem
Todd Pletcher
10th in Kentucky Derby
Conquest Curlinate
Mark Casse
2nd in Peter Pan Stakes
Frammento
Nick Zito
11th in Kentucky Derby
Frosted
Kiaran McLaughlin
4th in Kentucky Derby
Keen Ice
Dale Romans
7th in Kentucky Derby
Madefromlucky
Todd Pletcher
Won Peter Pan Stakes
Materiality
Todd Pletcher
6th in Kentucky Derby
Mubtaahij
Mike de Kock
8th in Kentucky Derby
Tale of Verve
Dallas Stewart
2nd in Preakness
War Story
Tom Amoss
16th in Kentucky Derby
American Pharoah is tentatively scheduled to ship to Belmont Park on Tuesday, June 2.
Two potential Belmont Stakes challengers, Keen Ice and Conquest Curlinate, also exercised Saturday on the Churchill Downs main track. The connections of both contenders are pleased 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 Donegal Racing’s Keen Ice, who breezed six furlongs in 1:15 on Thursday.
Norman Casse, assistant to his father, Mark Casse, was encouraged with Conquest Curlinate’s preparations for the final jewel of the Triple Crown.
“He looked really good this morning,” he said. “He’ll be back galloping [Sunday] morning but he looked good this morning.”
In New York on Saturday, Hall of Fame trainer Nick Zito sent out Belmont Stakes hopeful Frammento for a workout on the Oklahoma Training Track in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.
Ridden by exercise rider Maxine Correa, Frammento completed the half-mile workout in :49.30 before galloping out five furlongs in 1:03.99. That workout followed a three-furlong breeze in :36.80 on the same surface on May 14.
“He worked great,” Zito said of Frammento, who has not raced since finishing 11th in the Kentucky Derby. “We’re happy with it. He galloped out nicely. Everything went good. He has been developing nicely. I’m excited about going to the Belmont; it’s nice to have another chance.”
Frammento, owned by Nena Moss’s Mossarosa LLC, would be Zito’s 25th starter in the Belmont Stakes. Both of Zito’s previous Belmont wins spoiled Triple Crown bids. In 2004, Birdstone beat Smarty Jones, and in 2008, Da’ Tara defeated Big Brown.
TRIPLE CROWN BIDS ENDED IN BELMONT
Year
Triple Crown hopeful
Belmont finish
Winner
2014
California Chrome
4th
Tonalist
2008
Big Brown
DNF
Da’ Tara
2004
Smarty Jones
2nd
Birdstone
2003
Funny Cide
3rd
Empire Maker
2002
War Emblem
8th
Sarava
1999
Charismatic
3rd
Lemon Drop Kid
1998
Real Quiet
2nd
Victory Gallop
1997
Silver Charm
2nd
Touch Gold
1989
Sunday Silence
2nd
Easy Goer
1987
Alysheba
4th
Bet Twice
1981
Pleasant Colony
3rd
Summing
1979
Spectacular Bid
3rd
Coastal
1971
Canonero II
4th
Pass Catcher
1969
Majestic Prince
2nd
Arts and Letters
1968
#Forward Pass
2nd
Stage Door Johnny
1966
Kauai King
4th
Amberoid
1964
Northern Dancer
3rd
Quadrangle
1961
Carry Back
7th
Sherluck
1958
Tim Tam
2nd
Cavan
1944
Pensive
2nd
Bounding Home
1936
Bold Venture
did not start
Granville
1932
Burgoo King
did not start
Faireno
#Won Kentucky Derby via disqualification
Note: I'll Have Another was not included because he was retired before the Belmont Stakes.
Zito also finished second seven times in the Belmont, most recently with Fly Down in 2010. He’s been third twice with Royal Assault (2004) and Anak Nakal (2008).
“We always have a good Belmont,” Zito said. “Our horses always run good in the Belmont. That’s what you hope happens. Hopefully, we’ll be OK.”
Frammento entered the Kentucky Derby off a fourth-place finish in the Grade 1 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes.
“He didn't get the best of trips,” Zito said of the Derby. “He got bumped around at the start. He was doing OK in the race until another horse knocked him off stride, although, my horse still kept running.”
American Pharoah’s Triple Crown bid would mark the 13th time since Affirmed swept all three races in 1978 that a horse entered the Belmont Stakes starting gate with a chance to become the 12th Triple Crown winner in U.S. racing history.
TRIPLE CROWN WINNERS
Year
Horse
Owner
Jockey
Trainer
1978
Affirmed
Harbor View Farm
Steve Cauthen
Laz Barrera
1977
Seattle Slew
Karen Taylor
Jean Cruguet
Billy Turner
1973
Secretariat
Meadow Stable
Ron Turcotte
Lucien Lauren
1948
Citation
Calumet Farm
Eddie Arcaro
Jimmy Jones
1946
Assault
King Ranch
Warren Meehrtens
Max Hirsch
1943
Count Fleet
Mrs. John D. Hertz
John Longden
Don Cameron
1941
Whirlaway
Calumet Farm
Eddie Arcaro
Ben Jones
1937
War Admiral
Samuel Riddle
Charlie Kurtsinger
George Conway
1935
Omaha
Belair Stud
William Saunders
James Fitzsimmons
1930
Gallant Fox
Belair Stud
Earle Sands
James Fitzsimmons
1919
Sir Barton
J.K.L. Ross
John Loftus
H. Guy Bedwell