Can Pharoah Stay at Top of His Game Post-Triple Crown?

American Pharoah gets a bath after morning exercise on Friday at Monmouth Park. The 2015 Triple Crown winner is entered in the William Hill Haskell Invitational Stakes on Sunday at Monmouth, where he will make his first start since winning the Belmont Stakes on June 6. (All photos by Eclipse Sportswire)
By Tom Pedulla, America’s Best Racing
OCEANPORT, N.J. – The history of 3-year-old colts after they win the Triple Crown provides cause for concern as American Pharoah returns to competition in the $1.75-million William Hill Haskell Invitational Stakes on Sunday at Monmouth Park.
As magnificent as Secretariat (1973), Seattle Slew (1977) and Affirmed (1978) were in completing the historic sweep, they were a combined 5 for 11 for the remainder of their 3-year-old campaigns. The mighty Secretariat was toppled by Onion in the Whitney Handicap and by Prove Out in the Woodward Stakes. Those are considered two of the greatest upsets in the history of the sport.
Seattle Slew was unable to hit the board in the Swaps Stakes, his first race after the Belmont. He finished fourth. Affirmed won the Jim Dandy Stakes in his comeback start but then placed second in the Travers and Marlboro Cup before struggling home fifth in the Jockey Club Gold Cup. The difficult prep races leading to the Kentucky Derby and the rigors of contesting three Triple Crown races in five weeks took an inevitable toll.
Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert is doing everything imaginable to keep American Pharoah from slipping. He trained him meticulously for his first race since his 5 ½-length romp in the Belmont Stakes ended a record 37-year Triple Crown drought. And he is even promising to stop for a lucky dog at Max’s Famous Hot Dogs in Long Branch, N.J., a superstition developed during the course of winning the Haskell a record seven times.
“I feel confident he’s going to run a big race and that’s all – as a trainer, that’s all we can do, just have them ready and whatever happens, happens,” Baffert said.
AMERICAN PHAROAH AT BELMONT ON FRIDAY

The Hall of Fame trainer vowed after the Belmont that he would have the immensely popular colt ready for his comeback. He put six workouts into him in an effort to keep to that, three of them occurring within a 10-day stretch.
The two workouts that point to the newly crowned Triple Crown champion’s readiness were bullet six furlong drills on July 18 and July 23 at Del Mar. The first went in 1:11.40, the second in a razor sharp 1:11.
“I wanted to make sure he’s ready,” Baffert said. “If he gets asked a question, I want him to be able to answer it.”
Baffert has been uncanny at having all the right answers when it comes to the Haskell, Monmouth’s signature race and a "Win and You're In" race for the $5-million Breeders' Cup Classic. Of the 12 horses he started in the 1 1/8-mile contest, seven won, three finished second and one took third. He more than doubled the victory total of his closest pursuers. Todd Pletcher, Warren Croll and Hubert “Sonny” Hine have three wins apiece.
Bayern, with Martin Garcia aboard, shot to the lead and never looked back in giving Baffert a 7 ¼-length laugher last year. It will hardly be surprising if Victor Espinonza guns American Pharoah to the front a few jumps from the starting gate with the hope of enjoying a similar trip en route to Baffert’s fifth Haskell victory in six years.
Wayne Catalano, who trains 30-to-1 longshot Top Clearance, expects American Pharoah to keep to the no-looking-back strategy that served him so well in the Preakness and Belmont Stakes.
“I’m going to tell you this, Bob Baffert ain’t taking back for nobody,” Catalano said. “That was the approach in the Belmont. Anyone looking to go with us, sorry for them.”
AMERICAN PHAROAH GALLOPING FRIDAY AT MONMOUTH

There are other horses in the field that possess high early speed and might be capable of dueling Americn Pharoah – at least for awhile – on what is typically a speed-favoring surface. Competitive Edge, a winner of the Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes at two, tries this distance for the first time amid questions about his staying power after a dismal sixth-place finish in the seven-furlong Woody Stephens Stakes brought his first defeat in five starts. Mr. Jordan’s high cruising speed helped him to a 4-for-6 record, but he faces Grade 1 company for the first time. Keen Ice, a closer who took third in the Belmont, would benefit if a smoking-hot pace develops.
Ed Plesa Jr., who trains Mr. Jordan, has his horse as ready as can be for the test of a lifetime.
“My only excuse in this race might be American Pharoah,” he said.
$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