American Pharoah Completes Belmont Prep
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American Pharoah tied a bow on his lead-up to the June 6 Belmont Stakes presented by DraftKings (gr. I) with his final gallop June 5, ticking right along under exercise rider Jorge Alvarez at Belmont Park.
"He looked very relaxed out there... he was going around there still just floating over the racetrack like he moves and that means he's healthy," Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert said. "We're very happy with the way he went and came off the track... he's still sharp and that's what he's shown us during this whole campaign... when he goes out there, he wants to go out there and gallop, and have fun. He came back very calm and relaxed."
Zayat Stable's homebred 3-year-old son of Pioneerof the Nile , having completed paddock schooling June 4 and with his last breeze under his belt June 1 at Churchill Downs before his June 2 arrival in New York, will remain in Barn 1 at Belmont until the walkover for the Belmont Stakes.
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"The key is to keep the human element away from him from here on out so he can rest and relax," Baffert said. "We're going to be really strict at keeping people out of the barn—no more cameras or photo ops—because he needs to rest. When people come around, then he thinks maybe he's going to be getting ready to go out and do something.
"It takes a superior horse to do what he's done so far. He just need to bring it one more time."
Owner Ahmed Zayat said he welcomes the challenge of seven other runners in the 1 1/2-mile Belmont, only one of which—Xpressbet.com Preakness Stakes (gr. I) winner Tale of Verve—competed against American Pharoah in the second leg of the Triple Crown.
Frosted, Materiality, Keen Ice, Mubtaahij, and Frammento all rested after running in the May 2 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) to face American Pharoah again in the longest of the classic races. MadefromLucky is the only horse in the field who did not compete in either the Derby or the Preakness. He sat out both to win the May 9 Peter Pan Stakes (gr. I) in similar fashion to last year's Belmont winner, Tonalist.
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"Everybody keeps asking me, 'Are you mad that fresh horses stayed out or are coming in?' And I say 'No, I'm competitive! He has to earn it!' " Zayat said. "We're talking about defining greatness. If you're good, you're good. And the difference between good and great, and greatness, is hopefully what we're going to see tomorrow, because in order for you to do something that only 11 horses in the history of the game have done, you have to earn it."
American Pharoah enters the Belmont on a six-race win streak, those victories garnered by a combined 30 1/4-length margin.
"The horse is as ready as we can get him. There's nothing I could say after the race like 'Well, shoulda, coulda, woulda," Baffert remarked. "He's ready to roll."