American Pharoah Returns Home at Santa Anita

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American Pharoah Returns Home at Santa Anita
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After more than two months away, Triple Crown champion American Pharoah returned to his home at the foot of the San Gabriel Mountains.



On the same day Barack Obama was set to arrive in the Los Angeles area, the Pioneerof the Nile   colt's trip from his landing spot at LA/Ontario International Airport to Bob Baffert's Barn 5 at Santa Anita Park June 18 was downright presidential.

In a trailer covered with the Zayat Stables' baby blue and yellow silks colors and "American Pharoah" in bold, white lettering on the roof of his trailer, the bay colt received a police escort for the 33-mile journey and even drew multiple local-news helicopters above to document his trip.



He even got caught in a stereotypical amount of L.A. traffic, delaying his arrival by almost an hour.



"It's coming, it's coming," Baffert's son, Bode, said nervously.



But when he did arrive, the champ was first off the trailer, escorted by assistant trainer Jimmy Barnes. Baffert immediately made a point to get American Pharoah to his wife Jill, who was on crutches, still recovering from hip surgery, and waiting for the colt with treats.



"Jill, Jill," Baffert repeated.



"I wanted him back here, so I'm just glad he's here," Jill said. "He needs to be here with his family—with his extended family. It was just awesome, because we saw him beforehand on the news with the choppers over him. To see everybody here is really exciting."



Then, the show was on.



With his trademarked ear plugs in place, American Pharoah calmly posed for the throng of awaiting media, about 200, almost all with cameras of various types dialed in on him. After a bath inside the Baffert barn, he took several trips around the walking ring, with Barnes, Baffert, and jockey Victor Espinoza taking turns hotwalking. Every time the colt reached the crowd, he stopped to strike a pose and investigate his onlookers.



Barnes, who, like American Pharoah, hadn't been home since April, took it all in the best he could, before getting back to work.



"Finally, the circle is completed," Barnes said, in between moving boxes around the barn. "We're back home and it was a long journey. A lot of traveling, a lot of waiting, a lot of everything... It's amazing. You know it's a big deal, but you don't know how big it is until it's actually over, and it was a lot larger than I expected. The fan turnout, the people, everybody was so happy—at Churchill, here, the whole state of Kentucky.



"The people who want to see the horse, touch the horse, I think that amazes me the most."