American Pharoah an Overwhelming Favorite for First Start Since Triple Crown

American Pharoah, above completing the Triple Crown sweep in the Belmont Stakes, is the overwhelming favorite for the Haskell Invitational Stakes on Sunday at Monmouth Park. (Photo by Eclipse Sportswire)
In his first race since winning the Triple Crown, American Pharoah was tabbed the 1-to-5 morning-line favorite at the William Hill Haskell Invitational Stakes draw and he will be break from post position four on Sunday.
Seven other horses entered Monmouth Park’s signature race, but with multiple horses cross-entered in a variety of stakes races for 3-year-olds this weekend it is possible the field will lose one or more runners before they load into the starting gate at 5:52 p.m. ET on Sunday evening.
No matter how many horses American Pharoah has to face, Bob Baffert’s assistant trainer Jimmy Barnes is ready to run his colt with all the prerace preparations complete.
“We’ve taken care of all the schooling that we need to do, so we just need to lead him over,” Barnes said. “He makes it so easy for us because every day his consistency is there. Every morning, I always check on him and he’s always at the front of the stall, on the track it’s the same thing, just 100 percent all the time.”
A PHAROAH TALE ENDING

Two surprise entries appeared for the race right before the Haskell draw on Thursday with Todd Pletcher entering Nonna’s Boy and Dontbetwithbruno for Repole Stables in addition to the entry of Competitive Edge for another ownership group. Pletcher is the Haskell’s second-winningest trainer behind Bob Baffert (seven wins) with three wins in the race.
Even if he were to lose the race, American Pharoah still would make history on Sunday by being the first Triple Crown winner to run in the Haskell.
The race’s purse, increased from $1-million to $1.75-million on Wednesday afternoon, also represents a first in New Jersey as the most valuable race - outside of 2007 Breeders’ Cup races - to be run in the state.
American Pharoah is 5-for-5 in 2015 and has shown Baffert no signs of slowing down following the Triple Crown.
“He’s holding his form really well since Belmont. He had to show me something like that before I would put him on a plane and ship him,” Baffert said. “He really is doing very well, so we’re confident that with racing luck he’ll run his race. I really don’t see anything that would keep him from running a good race. Everything I've seen in the mornings has been very positive.”
The Haskell Invitational will be airing on NBC from 5 to 6 p.m. ET on Sunday with the whole Monmouth Park card airing on TVG.
$1.75-million William Hill Haskell Invitational StakesSunday, Monmouth Park, Race 12, Post time 5:52 p.m. ET on NBC1 1/8 miles, dirt, 3-year-olds

PP

Horse

Jockey

Trainer

Owner

ML

1

Upstart

Joe Bravo

Rick Violette

Ralph Evans and WinStar Farm

6-1

2

Competitive Edge

Mike Smith

Todd Pletcher

Nancy Favreau Kathy Psoinos and Michael Tabor

8-1

3

Nonna’s Boy

TBA

Todd Pletcher

Repole Stables

30-1

4

American Pharoah

Victor Espinonza

Bob Baffert

Zayat Stables

1-5

5

Mr. Jordan

Paco Lopez

Eddie Plesa

David Melin Leon Ellman and Laurie Plesa

15-1

6

Keen Ice

Kent Desormeaux

Dale Romans

Donegal Racing

12-1

7

Top Clearance

Abel Castellano Jr

Wayne Catalano

Gary and Mary West

30-1

8

Dontbetwithbruno

TBA

Todd Pletcher

Repole Stables

30-1

AMERICAN PHAROAH ARRIVES AT MONMOUTH