The next start for Triple Crown victor American Pharoah won’t be at Saratoga Race Course. Logical options would be the Travers on August 29 and the Woodward against older horses on Saturday, September 5. Zayat said as long as American Pharoah is healthy, the son of Pioneerof the Nile would continue racing until closing out his career in the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic on October 31 at Keeneland in Lexington, Kentucky.
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American Pharoah’s owner, Ahmed Zayat, told ESPN earlier in the day that the decision had been made to run his colt in the Haskell.
United States broadcaster Fox Sports is dedicating a half-hour segment this weekend to American Pharoah, who recently became racing’s 12th Triple Crown victor. One is a condition that pays $25,000 each to the owner and trainer of any of the Triple Crown races a payday worth $75,000 each for Zayat and Baffert.
“We can’t have any hiccups at all”, Baffert said. “I am aware of the historic perspective of Saratoga, but I am also aware that Secretariat got beat there”. “It’s all about the horse and how he’s doing”.
Over the past month there have been television appearances, scores of privileged racing fans posing with the nation’s newest star, photo-ops of American Pharoah with major league baseball players and Hollywood starlets, and parades at Churchill Downs and Santa Anita to honor the Zayat Stables runner.
“It’s all about American Pharoah”.
Bob Kulina, president at Monmouth Park, said American Pharoah in the Haskell will be “the biggest day ever in the history of racing in New Jersey”.
Mr. Jordan, who won the Grade III, $150,000 Pegasus Stakes by a head at Monmouth on June 21, is the only other confirmed starter in the race.
“We don’t want it to be too hard on him”, Zayat said.
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“I wanted to look at a race for him that was still running against three-year-olds and running in a race that would be easy on him, considering the campaign he had”, Zayat explained, speaking to the Blood-Horse. Baffert has won the race a record seven times, including four of the past five years.
