American Pharoah Arrives at Belmont
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The champ is in the house.
Zayat Stables' Triple Crown contender American Pharoah arrived June 2 at Long Island MacArthur Airport and then walked off a horse van around 3:40 p.m. at Belmont Park, ready for his run at history in the June 6 Belmont Stakes (gr. I).
"The horse shipped really well, he handled the flight and the trip," Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert remarked. "He's a pretty cool customer... I'm really happy."
American Pharoah was greeted in New York not only by a media throng, but by the cold and rainy weather that has been pelting the track and surrounding areas—but he is no stranger to similar conditions.
The 3-year-old son of Pioneerof the Nile encountered a downpour when winning the May 16 Xpressbet.com Preakness Stakes (gr. I) by seven lengths in the slop at Pimlico Race Course. That followed a one-length victory in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) on a fast track.
He also relished the slop when winning the Rebel Stakes (gr. II) at the launch of his sophomore campaign at Oaklawn Park. He enters the Belmont on a six-race win streak, those victories garnered by a combined margin of 30 1/4 lengths.
"This is Pharoah weather,: Baffert said. "He likes wet, but he's shown he can run well on dry. He runs well on everything. As long as he shows up and runs his race, that's all you can ask for."
Baffert has prepared American Pharoah for the Belmont at Churchill Downs, sending his dual classic winner through two workouts at the Louisville oval since his Preakness win. He said American Pharoah should get his first view of the Belmont oval around 8:45 a.m. EDT June 3, when he will head out for a jog under exercise rider Jorge Alvarez.
NOVAK: American Pharoah Has Final Breeze for Belmont
American Pharoah, bred in Kentucky by his owners out of the Yankee Gentleman mare Littleprincessemma, could become the first horse since Affirmed in 1978 to sweep the Triple Crown, and is the fourth contender Baffert will take to New York in pursuit of the sweep.
Baffert tackled the Triple Crown in 1997 with Silver Charm; 1998, Real Quiet; and 2002, War Emblem; but those three contenders fell short in the 1 1/2-mile Belmont after winning the Derby and Preakness.