Pharoah’s Connections Confident After Belmont Draw

The connections of American Pharoah celebrate a nice post-position draw for the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner. (Photo by Eclipse Sportswire)
By Tom Pedulla, America’s Best Racing
NEW YORK – Applause broke out and the connections celebrated on Wednesday after Triple Crown threat American Pharoah drew post five in a field of eight for the 147th Belmont Stakes. He was installed as an overwhelming 3-to-5 favorite to complete the historic sweep.
The draw for Saturday’s 1 ½-mile Test of the Champion became the latest element to go the way of the sweet-striding colt, who represents trainer Bob Baffert’s fourth attempt at a Triple Crown. The 2-year-old champion turned 3-year-old sensation produced two solid workouts at Churchill Downs in preparation for the sternest challenge of his young career, the most recent workout coming on Monday when he drilled five furlongs in 1:00.20.
“I’m confident in American Pharoah because he’s giving me that confidence,” said owner Ahmed Zayat, adding, “He’s the best-moving horse I’ve ever seen.”
Interestingly, the son of Pioneerof the Nile broke from post five against seven other competitors in the Grade 1 FrontRunner Stakes at Santa Anita on Sept. 27. He led at every call for regular rider Victor Espinoza and coasted by 3 ¼ lengths for the second win of his current six-race winning streak.
American Phoroah easily overcame the misfortune of drawing the rail in the Preakness Stakes, shaking off early pressure from Mr. Z and romping by seven lengths on a sloppy track that was much to his liking. He left from post 15 in an eventual field of 18 in the Kentucky Derby, where he outlasted Firing Line in a scintillating stretch duel and wore him down by one, grinding length in the end.
Espinoza said the Belmont draw did not overly concern him because of the relatively short field and the distance of the race.
“The only time I got a stomach ache was the Kentucky Derby,” Espinoza said. “With 20 horses, the draw is very important.”
American Pharoah shipped from Churchill Downs to Belmont Park on Tuesday. He went to the track for the first time on Wednesday and was asked for nothing more than a jog.
“The horse is doing well, that’s the most important thing,” Hall of Fame trainer Baffert said.
Even the field size seems to bode well for American Pharoah to become the 12th Triple Crown victor and the first since Affirmed in 1978. When trainer Todd Pletcher withdrew Carpe Diem and his counterpart Ken McPeek did the same with lightly regarded The Truth Or Else on Monday, it left seven opponents. No horse has won the Triple Crown opposing more than that. Citation (1948) and Seattle Slew (1977) faced exactly that number when they raced into immortality.
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

Frosted, the winner of the Grade 1 Wood Memorial Stakes who finished fourth in the Kentucky Derby and skipped the Preakness, was established as the second choice at 5-to-1 on the morning line from post six. Joel Rosario will ride Frosted.
Materiality, a fast-closing sixth in the Derby and another Preakness absentee, is next at 6-to-1 for John Velazquez. In a race that does not appear to have a great deal of early speed, Materiality will most likely be counted on to either set the pace or apply early pressure to American Pharoah. He will break from the far outside in the eighth slot in the starting gate.
The other starters are all in double figures in the early odds. They are: Mubtaahij (post 1, 10-to-1), Preakness runner-up Tale of Verve (post two, 15-to-1), Peter Pan Stakes victor Madefromlucky (post three, 12-to-1), Frammento (post four, 30-1) and Keen Ice (post seven, 20-to-1).
The Triple Crown eluded Baffert with Silver Charm (1997), Real Quiet (1998) and War Emblem (2002). As another shot at history nears, he will not allow himself to imagine how it would feel to end the longest drought since Sir Barton was recognized as the first Triple Crown champion in 1919.
“I don’t think about it,” he said, “because I know how tough it is and I don’t want to get ahead of myself.”

$1.5 million Belmont StakesSaturday, June 6, Belmont Park, 6:50 p.m. ET1 1/2 miles, dirt, 3-year-oldsTV COVERAGE: 4:30-7 p.m. ET on NBC 

PP

Horse

Jockey

Trainer

Owner

ML Odds

1

Mubtaahij

Irad Ortiz Jr.

Mike de Kock

Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa al Maktoum
 

10-1

2

Tale of Verve

Gary Stevens

Dallas Stewart

Charles Fipke
 

15-1

3

Madefromlucky

Javier Castellano

Todd Pletcher

Cheyenne Stables and Mac Nichol
 

12-1

4

Frammento

Mike Smith

Nick Zito

Mossarosa
 

30-1

5

American Pharoah

Victor Espinoza

Bob Baffert

Zayat Stables
 

3-5

6

Frosted

Joel Rosario

Kiaran McLaughlin

Godolphin Racing
 

5-1

7

Keen Ice

Kent Desormeaux

Dale Romans

Donegal Racing
 

20-1

8

Materiality

John Velazquez

Todd Pletcher

Alto Racing
 

6-1