White House Ceremony for American Pharoah?
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Congressman Paul Tonko (D-NY) sent a letter to President Barack Obama July 14 asking the White House to hold an official ceremony honoring American Pharoah and the team that guided him to win his historic Triple Crown.
The letter reads, in part:
"Welcoming athletes who have reached the pinnacle of their sport to the White House is a time-honored tradition. As the first Triple Crown winner since 1978, honoring American Pharoah and the team that helped lead him to victory at a White House ceremony would continue this tradition and would celebrate the lasting cultural and economic impact horseracing has had across the country."
American Pharoah, owned by Zayat Stables and trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, is only the 12th horse to sweep the Kentucky Derby (gr. I), Preakness Stakes (gr. I), and Belmont Stakes (gr. I).