American Pharoah enjoys victory lap
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Police escorts guided American Pharoah and his entourage back home to Churchill Downs Sunday, hours after his stunningly smooth run into Triple Crown history.
Now, his victory lap begins.
At the headquarters of American horse racing, Churchill Downs’ famous twin spires are displaying Zayat Stables’ turquoise and gold colours all week to celebrate the first Triple Crown in 37 years. The Kentucky Derby museum quickly updated a display to reflect the historic achievement, and American Pharoah’s name was added in gold letters in the paddock with 11 previous champions.
Next Saturday, American Pharoah will take his public parade lap at the track before the Stephen Foster Handicap.
The horse left Belmont and flew back home to a crowd that cheered as he walked toward trainer Bob Baffert’s Barn 33. He seemed to drink the attention in as he strolled out of the van and walked around the barn before media and an adoring gathering of camera-clicking fans. His return was shown over the jumbo screen overlooking the storied track.
By Saturday, Churchill Downs spokesman John Asher believes that American Pharoah’s achievement will have set in with the public and he hopes they will help the horse celebrate.
“I think (people) are excited now. People get enchanted by a special horse, and there’s no question this horse is special.”
The three-year-old colt has more racing in his future, along with an avalanche of publicity and money-making opportunities.
“He’s a really sweet horse,” Baffert said.
“We’re going to share him with everybody.”
Jockey Victor Espinoza threw out the first pitch Sunday at Yankee Stadium, where Baffert attended the game.
Next up for racing’s 12th Triple Crown winner is some well-deserved downtime, having run in and won five Grade 1 races in nearly two and a half months. That’s a compressed schedule for a racehorse, most of which have at least 30 days between starts.
“It’s ridiculously insane what he did yesterday,” Baffert said. “It was a beautiful moment.” Owner Ahmed Zayat pledged to keep the horse in training, at least through the end of the year. Before the Belmont, Zayat sold breeding rights to American Pharoah to Coolmore Ashford Stud near Versailles, Ky. The family has said it received offers higher than $20 million US, but the terms of the deal haven’t been disclosed.
“They have zero say until he retires,” Zayat said.
“We owe it to the sport to do the right thing. Money plays an important factor in this game. I’ve already sold the breeding rights, but it is my genuine desire, as a fan, as someone who loves horses, to race him as long as I possibly can.”
Zayat will leave it up to Baffert to map out a schedule. Among the races under consideration are the Jim Dandy at Saratoga in upstate New York on Aug. 1; the Haskell Invitational at Monmouth in New Jersey on Aug. 2; the Pacific Classic at Del Mar on Aug. 22; and the Travers at Saratoga on Aug. 29.
With a newfound legacy to protect, Baffert vowed American Pharoah would be properly prepared for his next race, saying, “He’ll tell me.”
The ultimate goal would be the $5-million US Breeders’ Cup Classic, to be run Oct. 31 at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky., the cradle of American racing and breeding and near whereAmericanPharoahwill serve stud duty.
Should anything happen to the colt in future races, Zayat is covered by an insurance policy for which the rates are “incredibly high,” Baffert said recently.
Secretariat, the 1973 Triple Crown winner, was featured on major non-sports magazine covers and the U.S. Postal Service issued a stamp in his honour.
He remains a pop culture touchstone for even non-racing fans, and merchandise featuring him sold at Belmont Park on Saturday.
Judging by the crowd’s reaction to history, American Pharoah seems likely to be a popular champion, having cemented his legacy in New York, where the public is not easily won over.