American Pharoah swings for fences in final race
A career highlighted by dominance could not end with a defeat.
That was the motivation behind American Pharoah’s entrance in Saturday afternoon’s Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland Racecourse in Lexington, KY.
The Triple Crown-winning horse, trained by La Cañada Flintridge’s Bob Baffert, made sure he went out a winner as he smoked an eight-horse field, winning by 6 1/2 lengths in the final race of his career.
The victory came in a course-record time of 2 minutes, 00.07 seconds, which shattered the old record of 2:05.36. With the triumph, American Pharoah becomes the first-ever horse to win the “Grand Slam” of horse racing, which is the Triple Crown – Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes – along with the Breeders’ Cup, which was started in 1984.
The 3-year-old colt finished his career having won nine of 11 races and with a winnings tota of $8,650,300 after picking up Saturday’s $5 million purse.
“We’ll never have another one,” Baffert told NBC Sports immediately following the race in regards to American Pharoah. “The people came to see this and they got it. It’s very rare.”
There was some talk about American Pharoah’s vulnerability in Saturday’s race. Even though two horses dropped out of the competition, Pharoah still had to deal with Tonalist, who ended California Chrome’s bid for a Triple Crown in 2014 at the Belmont Stakes, and Keen Ice.
It was Keen Ice who delivered American Pharoah only his second loss ever at the Travers Stakes on Aug. 29 at Saratoga Springs, NY. In that race, Keen Ice rallied to win by 3/4 of a length.
There was no such repeat effort as American Pharoah led throughout the entire race and pulled away late with a fantastic finish that saw Effinex, a 33-1 underdog, take second, while Honor Code was third, Keen Ice was fourth and Tonalist fifth.
Baffert told American Pharoah jockey Victor Espinoza before the race, “I said ‘Well, today you get to let him go.’ He was doing so great. I feel good about it. He just let him roll.”
American Pharoah was a 3-5 favorite coming into the race and paid $3.40 to win.
American Pharoah’s fame was built on the horse becoming the first winner of the Triple Crown in 37 years when he captured the Belmont Stakes on June 6.
American Pharoah is owned by Ahmed Zayat and the horse is expected to remain in Kentucky to stud.
“We want him to go out as a winner. American Pharoah is a winner!” Zayat yelled to NBC’s Laffit Pincay after the race. “We are so thrilled and grateful and humbled. This is for America. This is for the sport. What a brilliant job, Bob Baffert.”