Historical Case for an American Pharoah Coronation
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American Pharoah has impressed this week in preparation for the Belmont Stakes on Saturday at Belmont Park. (Photos by Eclipse Sportswire)
By Tom Pedulla, America’s Best Racing
ELMONT, N.Y. – Racing fans can live with a champion whose tail is too short and who is so sensitive to crowd noise that the trainer must stuff his ears with cotton. They will gladly forgive those quirks – and perhaps delight in them – if American Pharoah can end the longest drought in Triple Crown history.
This is the 14th time that a horse won both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes since Affirmed completed the elusive trifecta in 1978 to emerge as the 11th Triple Crown winner. It is fair to say that hopes have never been higher for the long-awaited breakthrough to occur.
American Pharoah will take a six-race winning streak into the Belmont Stakes on Saturday and comes off a seven-length romp in the Preakness Stakes, the greatest margin since Triple Crown hopeful Smarty Jones broke away from the field by 11 ½ lengths in 2004. The only blemish on his record can easily be forgiven — it came in his debut.
Trainers rave about the ease with which American Pharoah covers ground. His own conditioner, Bob Baffert, said he all but floats over the track. Dallas Stewart, who trains Preakness runner-up and Belmont entrant Tale of Verve, is among those who has taken time from a hectic schedule to watch American Pharoah gallop in the mornings, to watch poetry in motion.
“The horse trains beautifully,” Stewart said. “He is awesome to watch train.”
AMERICAN PHAROAH GALLOPING ON FRIDAY AT BELMONT
American Pharoah has shown that he can win on a variety of tracks. He runs well on a fast track. He really runs well on a wet surface, as he demonstrated with easy victories in the Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park and in the Preakness at Pimlico Race Course. No rain is forecast.
He compares favorably with other recent Triple Crown winners in accomplishments and style. He was honored as the 2-year-old champion despite missing the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile with an injury. Six of the last seven Triple Crown winners also were saluted as top 2-year-olds. With his early speed, he is reminiscent of the last three horses to complete the sweep: Secretariat (1973), Seattle Slew (1977) and Affirmed (1978).
American Pharoah answered a huge question in the Kentucky Derby by prevailing in a tremendous battle with Firing Line. They virtually matched strides down the Churchill Downs stretch in a test of talent and heart. American Pharoah edge ahead in the final strides of the 1 ¼-mile thriller.
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
It appears that the only horse that can stop American Pharoah would be American Pharoah. Counting the Arkansas Derby, the Belmont represents his fourth race in eight weeks. That is a staggering workload by today’s standards, and it would be understandable if he has nothing left to give.
Jockey Victor Espinoza is taking his third shot at a Triple Crown and second in as many years. Espinoza said he realized very quickly last year that it was not meant to be for California Chrome. The energy level he needed simply wasn’t there in the Belmont.
“I learned if the horse is not ready, there is not much I can do,” he said.
Baffert fell short of the historic sweep with Silver Charm (1997), Real Quiet (1998) and War Emblem (2002). He understands the magnitude of the 1 ½-mile challenge.
“You’re going to get a lot of people making runs at you,” he said. “You know you’re the target, and we understand that.”
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.
Baffert has done everything possible to prepare American Pharoah for the race of a lifetime. The colt produced two crackling workouts at Churchill Downs, the more recent of them coming Monday, when he blazed five furlongs in 1:00.20 beneath the Twin Spires.
“My job is to have him prepared so he can bring his ‘A’ game,” Baffert said, “because if he doesn’t bring his ‘A’ game, it doesn’t matter how Victor rides him.”
The moment of truth is almost at hand, and a coronation is long overdue.
$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