American Pharoah Will Dictate Race Schedule

American Pharoah's connections know his first start since winning the Triple Crown will be the Aug. 2 William Hill Haskell Invitational Stakes (gr. I). They plan for his final start to be the Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I). But the schedule between those races has not been set, which is just fine with Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert.

The Triple Crown locks connections into a schedule: Point for the Kentucky Derby (gr. I). Win that, and it's two weeks to the Preakness Stakes (gr. I). Win that, and it's three weeks to the Belmont Stakes (gr. I). Adding to the forced hand, American Pharoah got a late start this spring, which limited Derby prep options for the son of Pioneerof the Nile  . He wound up winning the Rebel Stakes (gr. II) March 14 and the Arkansas Derby (gr. I) April 11 at Oaklawn Park in his first two outings of the year.

NOVAK: American Pharoah Impressive in Arkansas Derby

So for his summer and fall campaign, Baffert will relish allowing the Zayat Stables' homebred dictate any plans between the Sunday, Aug. 2 Haskell at Monmouth Park and the Oct. 31 Breeders' Cup Classic at Keeneland.

"American Pharoah will let us know what he can handle," Baffert said on the July 28 National Thoroughbred Racing Association media teleconference. "Right now, we're thinking Haskell. It's all about the Haskell first."

Some options? The Travers Stakes (gr. I) Aug. 29 at Saratoga Race Course and the Pacific Classic Stakes (gr. I) Aug. 22 at Del Mar would seem like contenders for a post-Haskell run, but there are plenty of options that could even include training up to the Classic. Baffert did say plans call for American Pharoah to return to Southern California to continue training at Del Mar once his jaunt to the Jersey shore is complete.

"We have a race (Sunday) and then we'll assess," Baffert said. "I'm not going to get beyond the Haskell."

With that focus on the Haskell, Baffert is expecting a big effort for American Pharoah's first race in nearly two months. He said American Pharoah is coming into this 1 1/8-mile race better than he did the Rebel, which was his first race after closing out his juvenile campaign 5 1/2 months earlier with a win in the FrontRunner Stakes (gr. I) at Santa Anita Park.

"We have him ready for a battle in this case," Baffert said. "We owe it to the horse to have him ready for a peak performance. If he's asked a question Sunday, I want him to be able to answer."

Baffert said American Pharoah loves people, but had started to tire of the parading and frequent stable visits from fans that occured after he became the first horse to win the Triple Crown in 37 years.

The bay colt has returned to training in good spirits and Baffert continues to marvel at his consistency, which likely traces to American Pharoah's smooth stride. On July 28 he completed his sixth timed workout since June 29, breezing a half-mile in :48 4/5 at Del Mar.

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"What makes him a great horse is that he can sustain his form," Baffert said. "He's getting stronger. He's a really special horse. I don't like the term 'super-horse,' because they can all get beat. ...

"I've never had a horse move as effortlessly as he does while moving as fast as he does."