'Pharoah' Showing Good Energy Day After Work

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert said Triple Crown winner American Pharoah was showing good energy the morning of Aug. 24, one day after the colt punched his ticket to the $1.6 million Travers Stakes (gr. I) with a sharp seven-furlong work.

 

Baffert said the Zayat Stables' homebred son of Pioneerof the Nile   was doing well after breezing in 1:23 1/5 over Del Mar's main track Sunday.

 

"He looks great today," Baffert said by cell phone from California. "He was happy and he came out of it really well. He got new shoes today. He's got his new Nikes on, so he's ready."

 

American Pharoah is scheduled to arrive at Saratoga Racecourse on Wednesday for the Aug. 29 Travers. Post positions for the 146th Travers will be drawn Tuesday at 6 p.m. EDT at Druthers Brewing Co. on Broadway.

 

"We're getting real excited about it. It's going to be fun," Baffert said. "He's doing well, and we just loved the way he worked. It's pretty amazing the way he's just held his form, and he looks great."

 

American Pharoah will be the fourth of 12 Triple Crown winners to run in the Travers. Gallant Fox was second in 1930, Whirlaway won in 1941, and Affirmed finished first in 1978 but was disqualified to second behind his archrival, Alydar.

 

Baffert has one Travers victory to his credit, with Point Given   in 2001.

 

"It's been very exciting for all of us," he said. "He's brought the Zayat family and us to just a different level. I never thought I'd get to this level of racing. You're always hoping. I was always hoping for a horse like this in a lifetime, so I'm just very fortunate that he came along, and we have him."