Fans of American Pharoah Spread Like Wildfire

American Pharoah fans support the Triple Crown winner at the Northern California Operations Center in Redding, Calif. American Pharoah will make his final start on the racetrack in the $5-million Breeders' Cup Classic on Oct. 31 at Keeneland Race Course. (All photo courtesy of Julie June Stewart)
The joy of American Pharoah’s Triple Crown win has radiated worldwide. For myself, it was the culmination of a long journey hoping to witness history. My friends, family and colleagues know that I travel every year to the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness and the Belmont Stakes in pursuit of that dream. Through my essays, they have followed the Triple Crown trail and the heartbroken dreams of Big Brown, I’ll Have Another and California Chrome. Once again, they travelled with me following American Pharoah’s quest.    
In my government career, I manage a national aviation safety program coordinating airspace issues over disasters such as wildfires, hurricanes and floods. American Pharoah’s win of the Triple Crown on June 6 was one of the happiest moments of my entire life. There was little time to savor his victory as I found myself hurled back into the world of disaster management days after his win because it was “fire season.” This is a world in which a 12 hour day is considered a short day. A world where we save lives, homes and resources. My job requires travel to our geographical area coordination centers, which are often staffed 24 hours a day as they support the Incident Management Teams, firefighters and aviators on wildfires. There was something different about this fire season. American Pharoah brought joy and pride to a world unknown and unseen to most people. 
I discovered this when I arrived at the Southern California Coordination Center. I was greeted with loud hellos and then a cavalcade of conversation ensued. “THERE SHE IS! We saw you on TV! We saw the race! What was it like? What did it feel like?” Soon, there was a crowd of people around me as I pulled out my phone and showed them pictures of American Pharoah. They wanted to see them all. American Pharoah in the morning workouts at Churchill Downs, wearing his Derby roses and in the rain after winning the Preakness at Pimlico. They wanted to know about the tremendous build up to the Belmont Stakes. They wanted details. Most importantly, they wanted to know, “What did it feel like?” 
AMERICAN PHAROAH FANS AT SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA OPERATIONS CENTER

No need to describe what “it” they were talking about. I told them about the noise of the 90,000 fans as he came thundering toward the finish line. I shared stories of how gloriously chaotic the entire Belmont Stakes day was. They wanted to see the photo of me on the track moments after he won with the replay in the background. “Did you cry?” I told them that there was such a powerful surge of emotion. It was incredible to experience it in person. We would go back to work, but within a few hours someone else would come up to me and simply say, “I understand that you were there.” With no explanation, we both knew what “there” meant. They would look at the photos and smile. Smokejumpers, pilots, dispatchers, aviation officers and coordinators would come over and say, “Can I see your pictures?”
BUD McCONNAUGHEY, COEUR d'ALENE IDAHO  INTERAGENCY WILDLAND FIRE CENTER

When I was on duty in Portland, Ore. at the Northwest Coordination Center, we had a contingency of Australians and New Zealanders mobilized to assist us. Russell Manning was assigned as a liaison to our office. The minute I met him, I asked, “Have you been to the Melbourne Cup?” His eyes sparkled and he said “Have you been to the Triple Crown races? Do you know about American Pharoah?” He was stunned when I whipped out my phone and showed him American Pharoah’s photos. Turns out that Manning is not only a fan of horse racing but he is an owner through a horse racing syndicate. He and his friends all watched the Belmont Stakes in Australia. I love how horse racing people find each other! There was an instant bond and connection.
STEWART WITH RUSSELL MANNING (left) AND DEBBIE CAFFIN (right) AT NORTHWEST COORDINATION CENTER

Deb Caffin had a different horse in mind when we visited about the Triple Crown. She wanted to know everything about Smokey, American Pharoah’s pony. I told her about the morning when trainer Bob Baffert hopped onto Smokey and put him through some reining moves. She showed me Smokey’s videos on YouTube when he was known as This Whiz Shines. Deb’s reining horse has the same paternal grandsire (Shining Spark) as Smokey. She said “Really for me this is about watching ‘America’s Horse’ (AQHA) and America’s champion together. It is what all horse people can appreciate; the gorgeous champion Thoroughbred and the Quarter Horse that supports the champ but in his own right is an exceptional athlete. While we all love our Triple Crown winners, I can relate to Smokey. A horse I could trail ride on, chase cows on and put little kids on.”
In Redding, Calif., I discovered many American Pharoah fans at the Northern California Coordination Center. In the early morning hours or late at night when the fires and the operations tempo had quieted down, people would drop by my desk and ask if they could see the Pharoah photos. One of my closest friends looked at the photos of the Belmont Stakes and said, “Where is the real one?” I knew what he meant. He wanted to see my selfie taken seconds after the Triple Crown win when everyone was crying and laughing, hugging and shouting and jumping up and down. He knew me well enough to know that I had to have been bawling my eyes out. He was right. Very few people have seen the photo because I was red-faced with tears streaming down my cheeks. He looked at it for a long time and said, “Now I know what it felt like to have been there.”
Leigh Ruff from CalFire came over and I instantly pulled up my photos for her as she loves horses. She smiled and asked if I had any photos of Smokey? Another Smokey fan! I showed her my selfie with Smokey, and she proclaimed it the best selfie ever. She is another horse owner who has great admiration for American Pharoah’s trusty buckskin sidekick.
Later in the fire season, I was visiting Central Washington Interagency Coordination Center in Wenatchee, Wash. It has been such a difficult summer for them due to the complexities of their wildfires after the stunning and numbing tragedy of having to cope with the fatalities of our fallen fire fighters. They worked long, difficult hours as they mobilized crews, overhead, equipment, supplies and aircraft during a relentless fire season. I was surprised to hear them cheer when I walked in the door as they shouted, “Here she is! Here is our Triple Crown friend!” Once again, armed with my cell phone, I showed them photos of American Pharoah’s Triple Crown journey as the crowd around me grew.    
CENTRAL WASHINGTON INTERAGENCY COMMUNICATION CENTER

My friends shared their excitement as they relayed where they were and how they watched the race.  They were all pulling for a Triple Crown winner. What I love is how wrapped up in the race they were.  The race lasted only a matter of minutes, but for those minutes the stress and weight of their intense world of wildfires was lifted. There is a reason why we love sports. It transports us to the world of dreams where a horse can beat the odds and show everyone how special he is. I love that my friends were on the Triple Crown trail with me. There is such joy in their voices when they ask questions about that special moment. I love sharing my world with them and seeing their pride when they nudge a colleague and say, “She was there!”
KIM THOMAS, AIRCRAFT COORDINATOR, NORTHERN ROCKIES COORDINATION CENTER

As busy and complex as the world of wildfires and aviation can be, one thing is for certain. American Pharoah, Smokey and the entire American Pharoah team has brought in new fans across the nation. They may not live near a racetrack but they know the story of American Pharoah. Sometimes, in the middle of a long shift at work, it is good to smile and remember that dreams can come true. For my friends and myself, it is wonderful to know that we live in a day and age where a speedy, bay horse with a stubby little tail showed the world his grit and determination. It is a world where we know that challenges can be met one race at a time until you cross the finish line. Then it’s time to cheer!   
GAIL KENTCH, AMERICAN PHAROAH FAN IN EASTERN WASHINGTON